It takes a Village
by Laces Kai
Summary: How far will the underworld go as the twice blessed turns 18? Passions of first love, ambitions to prove worth, the strive for independence. 9 powerful charmed cousins, 6 overprotective parents, a dozen reckless demons, and more than one familiar face.
1. Prologue

**It Takes a Village **

_A series of Events based on the WB's Charmed_

Prologue

"Είναι τόσο μικρά, και τόσο ισχυρό. Μπορείτε να τους αισθανθείτε?" A young woman with a glistening tan clad in a white bikini top and mini skirt spit out the words lazily. But upon closer inspection it could be seen that her vivid green eyes burned with limitless excitement.

"Anka for being the embodiment of youth your insistence upon using Greek is absurd." A young man clicked his tongue in annoyance at the girl.

"The Greeks worshipped youth. I could speak in Egyptian, but it's such a complicated language." Anka rolled her eyes as she stretched out upon a golden Egyptian bed. "Besides Kron, don't pretend you don't understand me."

Kron stood leaning recklessly against a pool table, starring at the game in front of him through his dark sunglasses. The darkness of the sunglasses was made sharp against his creamy white complexion. With each deep breath he took, his muscles contracted underneath his white t-shirt and Anka stared at his perfectly sculpted body without shame.

"Greek is an ancient language. The new language of youth is English, use it." Kron sighed as he leaned down to shot, sending his intended targets into the nearest pocket of the table.

"This culture doesn't use its youth like the Greeks did, youth hardly has any power here. Why do you even play with me, I never get a turn." Anka stood in a furious pout and her majestic black hair tumbled lose of its clip and fell to her shoulders.

"You don't like to play this game much anyway." Kron walked away from the table, having won the entire game in one turn. He strode over to Anka, every step exhibiting the cockiness of youth that he hadn't been lost in the thousands of years he had existed. He slipped his white hands carefully around Anka's waist.

"I don't like working with demons." He said quietly.

"We had noticed them though." Anka pulled the shades off his face, revealing his piercing blue eyes.

"Yes, young and powerful. That's the kind of thing we notice babe. But the demands, this group that works in the name of us. Don't you find it suspicious?" Kron asked.

"Don't they think our influence will help them bring down those that are Charmed? Our power might not…" Anka shrugged.

"We might anger someone." Kron roughly pulled Anka into his body, as to emphasize his point.

"We haven't angered anyone in decades. And I'm bored.' Anka kissed Kron on the neck.

"Idle Hands," He started to recite but didn't finish as Anka kissed him.

"Young and powerful." She whispered to him.

"Yes, we'll summon the demons and tell them we'll join their little escapade. We haven't had ourselves a scrape in a while." Kron pushed Anka onto the pool table and both forgot any of their plans, as youth so often does.


	2. No Magic

**No Magic**

Dark gray clouds hung threateningly over the city of San Francisco. The streets had an ominous shade brought by the clouds that caused a false sense of night. Most people were hidden indoors, protected by their fluorescent lights and blasting heaters. There was a storm brewing, something to do with cool fronts hitting the coast and no one could deny the weather was eerie.

Sitting comfortably waiting outside of Roosevelt Middle School was Piper Halliwell in her beat up Rav4. Mock Menus lay against the steering wheel, a highlighter was tucked behind her ear and a pen was stuck in her ponytail as she held her cell phone. Piper mumbled short responses into the phone as she mostly concentrated on her work.

"Piper!" Paige's voice yelled into the receiver. The sudden shout surprised Piper, leading to her dropping all her work. Exasperated she gave up her efforts to be efficient and scooped up the papers at her feet.

"Paige, you're being paranoid." Piper grudgingly sighed into the phone. She shrugged her shoulder up to hold the cell phone, as she stretched out her hands. One hand to control the temperature in her car and the other hand stretched out to grab her coffee thermal.

"Piper, stormy weather always means something is coming. Something bad." Paige ranted into the phone. Piper sighed heavily as she tried her best not to ignore her youngest sister, while scanning the front of Roosevelt Middle School for her daughter and nieces.

"So we'll keep our eyes open, what do you want me to do about it?" Piper's patience had expired.

"Well someone is cranky," Paige sang into the phone. "You know for someone who rants about having a normal life, I think that maybe letting the girls orb home from middle school might have better affects on your mood then having you pick them up."

"No Paige, I don't think it would." Piper replied sarcastically. "Besides, don't you think the kids are all using too much magic anyway? It's starting to get out of hand."

"Yeah, yeah." Paige did not sound convinced.

"We'll see you for dinner, the girls should be coming out any minute." Piper snapped the phone shut before giving Paige a chance to go off on another tangent.

Hoards of middle school children bundled in scarves and heavy sweatshirts started coming out. Paige's twin daughters emerged first from the brick building. Pandora gave them away with her flaming orange hair standing out against the crowd. During the last week of winter vacation she had been experimenting with potions without supervision. A few wrong mixtures and an explosion later and her hair had been transformed from its natural dark brown to the vivid color of an orange. Piper was not sure that it had been an accident, Dora had wanted to change her hair color for months but Paige and Henry had been against the idea. It seemed that Paige's daughter had not fallen far from the tree, as the incident reminded Piper of something Paige had done in her early days as a witch.

Pandora and Patricia Mitchell were identical twins, though it was hard to tell these days. Besides the obvious difference of hair colors, Dora had cropped her curls to be just above her ears. She was a fan of bright colors and supporting causes. Her daily attire consisted of beat up jeans and self-cut t-shirts in varying styles. Each day Dora was a walking billboard for a different idea, from school pride to being green. She also had a signature pair of trainers in an orange that now matched her hair, with black laces and famous quotes written on the heels. Pandora had a loud and bold personality that contrasted with her sister's on a daily basis. Patricia, known as Tricia, was more traditional in her appearance. Tricia still had her father's dark brown hair and she opted for letting her curls grow long passing her shoulders. She wore mostly black, brown, white and pastels and preferred skirts and dresses to pants and shorts. Tricia always added an accent of color to her outfits, using headbands daily and painting her nails according to the day's headband. So upon first glance it was hard to notice that the Mitchell girls were twins but at a second glance it was unmistakable that they shared their mother's eyes and their father's check bones.

Dora jumped into the backseat of the car and nosily scooted behind the driver's side.

"Can you turn up the heat Aunt Piper, it's freezing." Dora was rubbing her hands together in attempts to warm herself up. Piper looked at her niece through the rearview mirror and shook her head. Dora was wearing a vintage gray Berkeley Bears shirt with the original sleeves cut off and replaced by dark blue long sleeves connected by several clothespins.

"Well if you had a sweatshirt Dora maybe you wouldn't be so cold." Piper commented but did move to turn the heater up just a bit. Tricia was sliding more gracefully in next to her sister.

"I told her to grab her new USC sweatshirt that Dad got her last weekend but she wouldn't listen." Tricia chirped.

"You can't wear two different universities together." Dora shrugged. Piper laughed at the claim but before she could argue the backdoor swung open again. Penelope pulled herself up into the car, throwing her backpack into the truck with much effort.

Penelope Halliwell seemed to have inherited her namesake's inclination towards flower power. Pen, as her family lovingly called her, was Phoebe's middle child and the hippie in the bunch of cousins. Penelope was a twelve-year-old preacher of love and peace. She loved wearing printed dresses and peasant tops with jeans. And she straightened her hair every day, parting it down the center in true classic 60s style. As she settled into the backseat she smiled at Piper.

"Blessed Be Aunty." Penelope had been on a bit of a Wiccan traditional kick. It had been the first year she had been allowed to attend the winter magical study session at Magic School.

"Hello to you too Pen. There are muffins in that basket back there and some hot chocolate in the thermals for you girls." Piper commented as she scanned the crowds for her own daughter.

"I love it when you pick us up Aunt Piper, absolutely the best." Dora beamed as she took a big bite of the blueberry muffin she had retrieved from the basket.

"You just like the snacks." Tricia rolled her eyes. "Not that I don't think you're the best too though," She quickly added.

"Mom can't make muffins like you do." Penelope said thoughtfully as she nibbled at her own muffin. Piper laughed, Phoebe had never been able to bake well. Piper was beginning to wonder where her daughter was as she sipped the last drop of her coffee.

"Melinda was still in her classroom when I walked past it, so she was running late." Tricia commented, as she saw her aunt look nervously into the crowd.

"Melinda was in a bad mood today." Penelope noted. Pen had inherited some of her mother's empathy powers, though was still growing into them.

"Why?" Piper's eyes flickered to the three girls in her backseat. But each of her nieces avoided her gaze and before she could interrogate them more Melinda appeared next to the car. She forcefully pulled the car door open and dramatically threw her backpack onto the ground. Melinda angrily pulled herself into the car and put her seatbelt on. She slammed her door shut and crossed her arms without saying a word.

"Well good afternoon to you too young lady." Piper frowned at her youngest child. Melinda Halliwell was the spitting image of her mother and had in Piper's opinion unfortunately inherited most of her bad habits too, first and foremost her quick temper. Melinda grunted at her mother in response. Piper raised an eyebrow at her but let her be as she started the car up. Something that Piper had learned over the years of raising teenagers is that occasionally it was better to let them brood.

"How was your first day back?" Piper asked her nieces pointedly. The winter holidays had just ended and everyone had been reluctant to go back to school.

"Well we're going to start reading the Outsiders in my English Class, and I have decided that I hate pre-algebra and am never going to need it." Penelope started.

"Wait until you get to Algebra." Tricia laughed at her younger cousin.

"There is going to be an 8th grader's spring dance, I was thinking about signing up for the committee." Tricia added. Piper nodded.

"Are you going to go to the dance Dora?" Piper prompted. Dora shrugged as she crumpled up her empty muffin wrapper.

"It's months away, maybe."

"I HATE MAGIC!" Melinda threw her hands up; she had reached a boiling point in brooding. As her hands went up, sparks flew out of the radio. Piper swerved momentarily into the lane next to her before regaining her wits and with a twist of her wrist froze the small fire happening in the car stereo.

"Melinda Halliwell, what is wrong with you?" Piper stammered. She had pulled onto the freeway at this point and was driving fast, deciding it safer to be out of the car as soon as possible.

"I hate magic." Melinda spat out the words again.

"Yes, I heard that. Would you care to explain what is going on that you feel the need to blow up the car?" Piper kept her eyes on the road but slipped a side glare at her daughter.

"If I hadn't gone to stupid magic school during winter break, I could have gone on the ski trip. But because of magic I missed it and now all my friends have boyfriends and I don't!" Melinda ranted. Piper was trying her best not to smile at her daughter's anger over the situation.

"Sweetheart, we weren't going to let you go on that ski trip anyway." Piper sighed. "And besides, learning your craft is important."

"I'm not allowed to do anything." Melinda screeched. "Ugh! I wish I could orb like Chris and Wyatt, then I could get out of this car."

"I thought you hated magic." Piper jibed. Melinda threw her hands up again and this time the radio actually blew up. Piper slammed on her brakes and froze the entire explosion. She stopped the car in the middle of the street.

"Melinda, you stop that right now." Piper demanded. "Put your hands down and keep them down."

Melinda flippantly crossed her arms and scrunched down into her seat a bit. Piper glared at her, and pointed at the radio with her chin. Tricia snapped her fingers and the radio froze over, crystallizing ice moving over the dashboard. The twins had spilt their shared powers of molecular acceleration and deceleration as well as premonition. Tricia had the power of freezing the water in the air to create ice while Dora could oxidize combustible material in the air to create fire. While their premonition power was spilt between Tricia seeing the future and Dora seeing the past. Together they were almost unstoppable.

"Maybe you should take a few more courses in power control. Your father was talking about a seminar they are holding next week." Piper started. Melinda rolled her eyes but kept her hands tightly under her arms. "Almost blowing up the car, of all the irresponsible uses for magic…" Piper was mumbling to herself. The girls all kept quiet and hurriedly jumped out of the car when Piper pulled up to the manor.

"Melinda, I want you upstairs. Doing your homework and after you're done, I want you to read up on magical power theory and why that little outburst just happened." Piper declared in a voice that left her daughter knowing it was no use to argue. Melinda stomped her way into the house and up the stairs. Piper carried armfuls of papers, her purse and an empty thermal into the house trailing behind her energetic nieces.

The manor hadn't changed much over the years. The family had grown and children were constantly in and out of the house but many things remained the same. The grandfather clock still stood in the foyer and still got broken at least once a month, either by demon or by mischievous child. The electronics of the manor had been updated as well to plasma televisions, track lighting, and iPod docks. Newer furniture was strategically placed among the antiques of the house, letting the manor maintain its historical feel. The kitchen had been completely remodeled with state of the art technology used in Piper's restaurants. The ancient Book of Shadows still dwelled in the attic that was just a bit more crowded these days with boxes. But generally the manor remained the same and was still the conveying point for the entire Halliwell family.

"Homework girls." Piper sighed as she heard the television in the conservatory turn on. Above her she heard glass shattering and shook her head.

"MELINDA! If you keep breaking things I'm going to ground you!" Piper called out to her youngest. Piper settled most of her paperwork onto the round table in the foyer.

"She's just frustrated aunty." Penelope was sitting on the stairs looking up at her aunt. "I can feel it."

"She has to learn to control those emotions, just like all of you do, they affect your powers." Piper sighed. Penelope closed her eyes a moment and when she opened them they were tinted pink.

"Prim is here." The young girl smiled and skipped to the door. Piper looked after her niece, thinking about how strangely witch and cupid powers mixed. Penelope's ability to sense loved ones presence was a combination of empathy and her father's cupid powers. Pen could hear heart beats and recognize them like voices, the stronger the tie the more the presence moved her changing the tint of her eyes to a reddish.

The wooden front doors creaked opened letting the frosty air sneak into the house. A little girl bundled in a puffy pink coat with fake fur trim, sparkling jeans, and little suede boots that covered her ankles stood on the porch. Primrose Halliwell was the youngest charmed child and the only one that hadn't developed her active powers yet. At eight, Primrose was one of the three late bloomers in the family. Melinda and Henry both hadn't developed active powers until the age of five, but Prim was starting to worry everyone. Leo was convinced that it was normal and related to the fact that Prim was constantly petted and protected by the rest of her magical family and thus had no need for her powers to arise quite yet.

"Hello Prim," Penelope smiled at her little sister. Prim grinned a toothless smile as she jumped into the house, dropping her violently pink backpack onto the floor and starting to peel off her layers of clothing. Before Penelope could shut the door though, Henry Jr. clumsily stumbled into the house.

Fourteen-year-old Henry Jr stood at five foot three and was a teenage boy prone to distractions and clumsiness. But as his face was about to meet the newly restored flooring of the manor, he closed his eyes and orbed back into a standing position. He brought his pale white hands up to his face, feeling for any damage the floor might have done.

"Henry! The door is open! Orbing to not hit your face does not constitute a power-using situation. Was the floor a demon?"

"No ma'am." The young man looked abashed. His hazel eyes looked down and his abnormally long eyelashes made him look sorrier than he was. Primrose ran to Piper and wrapped her hands around Piper's waist.

"Demons?" Primrose cried into Piper's side. The older woman glared at her nephew as she started petted the wispy curls of her little niece.

"No Prim, no demons. Your cousin is just being naughty." Primrose peeked out from behind Piper and stared over at Henry Jr. Penelope stared out into the front yard curiously holding the door open.

"You shouldn't be a bad boy HJ," Prim shook her head and wagged a little finger at him. Paige's son was known as HJ to help differentiate him from his father, Henry Sr.

"Where is everyone else?" Penelope finally asked. She was blinking incessantly, trying to locate the rest of her cousins. HJ bite his lower lip and looked terribly uncomfortable.

"You can't feel them, they drove you home though didn't they? They should be out there." Piper pried Primrose off her leg and wandered out the front door. She hurried down the steps to look in the driveway for the familiar jeep but it wasn't there. Piper spun around and ran back into the house, slamming the door with enough force that the windows rattled. Tricia and Dora ran into the foyer looking ready for a fight while Penelope had moved closer to Primrose and was clasping the little girl's hand.

"Don't tell me that they decided to go demon hunting again," Piper's voice was dangerously low. The young Henry was suddenly interested in the finer pattern of the wooden floor. His hands were pushed into his cargo pants pockets and his shoulders were hunched forward.

"I orbed home." He finally mumbled.

"Where are they?" Piper demanded louder this time. Tricia and Dora stood next to the grandfather clock starring at their older brother and wondering how much longer he had until their aunt blew him up. Penelope and Primrose were at the foot of the stairs, looking frightened. Melinda had wandered out of her room at the commotion and sat in the hallway out of her mother's sight, listening.

"I'm not sure, Wyatt asked me to orb home during lunch. I wanted to help, but Wyatt said I was too young to go still…" HJ licked his lips as he looked up at his aunt. The house was silent for a few seconds with only the sounds of the grandfather clock, the calm before the storm.

"Oh, you wait until I get my hands on them!" Piper choked the air in front of her fiercely. She started pacing back and forth.

"I need to go find them, you kids are going to have to go to magic school…" before finishing the thought, something crashed in the family room.

"Upstairs!" Piper ordered the children around her. Tricia grabbed Penelope's shoulders and orbed instantly. Primrose ran into Dora's arms and the two girls disappeared into white lights. Henry stood frozen by the door, but Piper ran towards the crash without noticing him.

The family room was dimly lit with light pouring in from the foyer and the lights from the second floor. Chris was lying on the ground, surrounded by broken remains of a dark antique wood coffee table. Wyatt was at his side, shield up around both of them as Wyatt was trying to shake his little brother awake again. Towering in front of the windows stood a dark lighter, a sinister looking man with a scowl on his face.

"Little charmed boys can't handle a little arrow?" The dark lighter mocked. Piper wasted no time in throwing up her arms and blowing up the dark lighter into a thousand pieces. Without a pause Piper strode towards his sons and HJ slowly stepped into the room, distress painted on his face. All the focus in the family room was on the oldest charmed children, still sealed off by Wyatt's protective shield. Chris was starting to stir back awake and Piper was frantically waving her arms around trying to get her oldest to pull down his protective shield. HJ looked worriedly at his cousins, thinking how that shield should stay up to protect them from their mother. But Wyatt Halliwell was no fool and knew not to bait his mother anymore this particular afternoon. The tall curly haired blond sprang to his feet as his mother replaced him at his brother's side. Piper started carefully stroking Chris' brown hair off his forehead. Wyatt was nervously bouncing on his heels and pushed his hands angrily into his pockets.

"If you would just listen to me! You would have never been hit, stupid.' Wyatt mumbled. Piper flashed an angry look at him.

"If my sons listened to their mother, maybe nothing would have happened to him either." Piper's voice was scathing.

"We learn from experience mom." Chris whispered. Piper started mumbling a fighting response back. Wyatt and HJ were both also focused on Chris when two more dark lighters appeared in the room. Wyatt's back was to them and Piper and Chris were hidden behind furniture. The only clear shot was the young Henry, and one took aim and pulled back the arrow. Melinda had walked out from behind the wall to get a clearer look and saw the arrow heading towards her cousin.

"WATCH OUT!" She shouted. Wyatt jumped at the sound of his younger sister's voice but HJ was frozen. He saw the arrow coming towards him, and as his fear set in his eyes squinted and the arrow magically moved around him. Wyatt turned around and pushed out his magical shield as a boom, knocking down the dark lighters.

"Henry get down!" Wyatt commanded. The next events of the fight happened too quickly to have observed everything. Melinda was trying desperately to freeze the dark lighters but they were too far away. Piper waved her hands around blowing up a few items before finally hitting both dark lighters without looking up from Chris. But not before one of them had shot at Wyatt, seconds later the tall youth had fallen to his knees. It all happened within a matter of minutes.

"Wyatt?" Piper and Melinda's voice combined into a fearful shriek. HJ had lost his fear and nodded his chin into his chest causing Wyatt's hunched body to come towards him. HJ controlled his telekinesis a way vaguely resembling Prue with his eyes but also was able to be more controlled with the use of nonverbal cues from his chin.

Wyatt passed out at HJ's feet in pain, with an arrow sticking out of his thigh. Melinda had run down the stairs and was at her cousin and oldest brother's side in seconds.

"Pull it out so I can heal him." Melinda took in a deep breath, closed her eyes as she clasped the arrow.

"One, Two…" She whispered the count to herself. At three she pulled with all her might and pain made Wyatt's eyes flash open again. Before Wyatt could let out a scream, the young Henry had healed him. Henry was the only cousin aside from Wyatt that had learned to heal. With some help from Piper, Chris was standing though looking slightly pale maybe from the impact of the fight or the worry over his older brother. The mother and son moved to hover over Wyatt now. The young man was rubbing his shoulder and squirming under so much attention.

"Damn those arrows hurt." Wyatt pushed onto his elbows and lifted his body up.

"Orb him to the couch," Piper pointed to the couch as she ordered HJ.

"Mom, I can orb myself." Wyatt lifted one of his blond brows at his mother, smiling charmingly.

"Don't push yourself quite yet. And if you think those arrows hurt, you should think about what your mother is going to do to you when you can get up!" Piper warned. HJ pushed out his chin and Wyatt was a magically deposited on the couch.

"I don't think his mother could do anything to her favorite after a near death experience." Chris rolled his eyes. Piper smacked the back of his head and turned to glare at him.

"And you! Let's see if there are any scratches on you that Henry should heal." Piper grabbed his chin, standing on her toes for only a second before pulling Chris down to her level. She examined his face and checked his neck, before Chris managed to pull out of her grasp.

"I'm fine mom, maybe a little sore." He rolled his shoulders casually.

"Mels, you're as bad as mom." Wyatt groaned as his youngest sister was trying to arrange pillows under his head.

"You should elevate, that was a dark lighter arrow." Melinda was grumbling.

"I healed him you know." HJ sighed as he threw himself onto the nearest chair. Dora and Tricia had run back downstairs, sensing the battle was over.

"Darklighters! Nothing happened to you right?" Tricia was inspecting her older brother.

"Stop it, nothing happened to me." HJ slapped his sister's hand away. Dora on the other hand was starring at the remains of the table on the floor. She pursued her lips and snapped her fingers. The wooden pieces swirled around each other and reformed into the coffee table and Dora's magic placed all the candles and books where they had been before.

"No more magic!" Piper shouted at the room. All the young eyes looked at her startled by the sudden outburst.

"Aunty, I was just fixing the table." Dora stuttered tugging at her long sleeves.

"Homework now!" Piper pointed to the conservatory. "Wyatt Halliwell I want you to stay on that couch for at least an hour. And Melinda, I still expected you to know that magical theory."

All the young people shuffled out of the family room avoiding eye contact with Piper. Chris was held in his place though, by his mother's tight grasp of his bicep.

"What have I said about demon hunting?" Piper demanded of her sons.

"Look mom, we weren't really demon hunting." Chris started. Piper shook her head.

"The darklighters followed you home from school then?" Piper demanded.

"Not exactly." Wyatt was scratching the back of his head. "They wouldn't have followed us home at all if Chris had just listened to me for once while we're fighting demons…"

"Because you fight demons all the time?" Piper squinted her eyes suspiciously at her oldest.

"No ma'am." The boys said in unison.

A bright red glow appeared in the doorframe of the family room. Coop appeared in a red button up shirt and a black trench coat.

"Can't you boys stop graying your poor mother's hair." Coop laughed as he appeared.

"Doesn't seem so uncle Coop." Wyatt started laughing but masked it into a cough when his mother's gazed pierced through him.

"Wyatt and Christopher seem to think that when I say no demon hunting, I'm just kidding." Piper looked at Coop for support on her position. Coop shook his head.

"Being a bad example to my girls. You should leave the demon hunting your aunts and mother here, you'll have your turns soon enough."

"But that gang of darklighters had been following us." Chris protested.

"And why didn't you tell me?" Piper looked startled.

"We didn't want to worry you when we could take care of it." Wyatt sat up pointing out his chin proudly.

"So much so you got shot there, ace?" Coop nodded thoughtfully.

"It would have been fine…" Wyatt started.

"Yes we've all heard, you thought I'm the one that screwed it up." Chris threw his hands in the air. Sending tiny bolts of energy from his hands, an elder inspired power that he had been growing into the last few weeks.

" Well if you hadn't decided my spell wouldn't work," Wyatt started.

"You're spell wouldn't have WORKED!" Chris shouted.

"If we had used the spell they wouldn't have followed us," Wyatt fought back.

"They would have, because the spell wouldn't have worked." Chris countered.

"With such maturity it's a wonder they didn't finish you off." Piper sighed. "We will talk about this more later, I have to make dinner."

"Can we have," Chris started but stopped when the anger in Piper's face dared him to ask.

"You'll eat what I make and considered yourself lucky that you're not going to bed now without dinner." Piper tapped his nose.

"Yes ma'am." He nodded. Coop laughed at his nephew, a head taller than his mother looking like a chastised child.

Piper walked out of the family room heading towards the kitchen. Calling out over her shoulder that both boys were to rest without getting up and that she better not hear any bickering. Coop leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe starring at his nephews.

"You know that you two are the example for the rest of them? How would you feel if Patience and Penelope decided to go fight demons without telling anyone?" Coop asked.

"Penelope is too young." Chris shook his head.

"We know what we're doing uncle Coop." Wyatt agreed.

"Yes but you should let the charmed ones take care of you for a little while longer boys." Coop warned.

"I'm the twice blessed." Wyatt smiled recklessly.

"And he won't let anyone forget." Chris rolled his eyes.

"Yeah I wonder how much the twice blessed can do when his mommy binds his powers for being disobedient." Coop mused.

"Ha!" Chris pointed and laughed. When Wyatt had entered junior high the charmed sisters knew they would have to start worrying about the hormonal impulsive use of teenage magic, not just with the twice-blessed child but the rest of them as well. After all by that time Wyatt and Chris had already caused quite a degree of havoc upon their family from conjured dragons, to accident time travel. Piper and Paige together had developed a "grounded" spell to temporary dissolve their witch lighters ability to orb. While the Book of Shadows had provided a "Temperance Lesson for Magical Teens" spell that bound active powers for a designated time period. Both spells had danger contingencies, specifically allowing powers to return to the guilty teen if they were in present and immediate danger.

"If mine get taken so would yours," Wyatt mumbled to his younger brother. Both boys hated being without their powers and though Piper preferred to trust her sons to not use magic when she banned it, when she reached the end of her rope she would magically bind them.

"Sometimes she just takes yours. You being the responsible older brother and everything you should have set a better example." Chris reasoned. Coop laughed nodding.

"I think that worked until you were about four kid. Right around that time you convinced Wyatt that you're mom would love if you captured that gold crafting demon." Coop shook his head remembering the chaotic panic the girls had been in when their treasured nephews had disappeared into the underworld.

"It wasn't my fault Wyatt believed me." Chris grumbled crossing his arms stubbornly and trying not to smile. Wyatt was powerfully reckless and Chris charmingly cunning, together they were a team to be reckoned with when they were getting along. The brothers bickered over everything, but when it came down to push and shove they would protect each other at all costs.

"Daddy!" Primrose was jumping down the stairs towards her father. Coop turned to his baby girl, holding out his arms for her and Prim tried to jump from the sixth step up. It turned out to be a bit too high for her but before she could fall and hurt herself, Chris waved her safely into Coop's arms.

"You're not suppose to use magic like that." Penelope commented as she slid down the banister. Coop swung his pink little bundle of joy around once before placing her on the ground.

"How was your day princess?" Coop asked the little girl.

"Gracie Tolls told me that if I wear too much Pink, I would turn pink. Do you think that's true? Pen's eyes turn pink and mine don't. But she doesn't wear any pink." Prim rambled like only eight year olds could. Coop had wrapped his arm around Penelope as he listened, and Penelope was craning her neck and blinking rapidly as she looked around her father's torso.

"What you looking for Pen?" Wyatt asked curiously watching her. But Penelope didn't answer; instead she closed her eyes completely and started rocking on her heels.

"Penelope?" Coop knelt down to be at eye level with his daughter.

"Where is she?" The girl whispered.

"Who?" Three voices demanded.

Penelope's eyes flipped open and there was a ring of purple around her bright brown eyes.

"Her heart is beating very fast, so I can feel it. But she's not here." Penelope looked perplexed.

"Who sweetheart? Coop grabbed both her shoulders.

"Patience." Penelope sighed.

"Patience isn't here?" Coop stood up and scanned the conservatory for his oldest daughter.

"Henry!" Chris shouted.

"What?" Henry shouted back.

"Get in here," Wyatt commanded.

"Stop shouting." Piper hollered from the kitchen. Young Henry walked into the foyer and peeked into the family room.

"Yeah?" Henry didn't go any further into the family room.

"Are you afraid of us?" Chris laughed at his cousin.

"Are you mad at me?" The young man asked.

"Not more than normally." Wyatt shrugged.

"Why are you mad at HJ?" Primrose demanded.

"We're not." Chris shook his head.

Coop was still looking around for Patience, as was Penelope. HJ settled down upon the steps still staying a good distance from his older cousins. Wyatt and Chris hated to get caught and on occasion took it out on their cousins, who they thought were familial bound to cover for them.

"Boys where is she?" Coop had his eyes closed now searching for his daughter's heart.

"She was suppose to orb home with him." Chris pointed at Henry.

"She said that she had to stay and that she would get a ride. She said she had tried to tell Wyatt but couldn't find him." Henry looked uncomfortable.

"Who was she getting a ride from?" Coop demanded.

"I don't know." HJ stammered.

"Her heart is beating really fast daddy, what does that mean?" Penelope asked.

Coop was rubbing the back of his neck in agitation.

"It means she with a boy." Coop groaned. "Phoebe is going to kill one of you."

"What boy?" Wyatt and Chris stood up glaring at HJ.

"I'm not sure…" He responded looking miserable.

"She's been writing about a Dervin in her diary." Prim chirped happy to have information no one else did. Everyone looked down at her surprised.

"Mom told you to stop reading her diary." Penelope frowned at her youngest sister.

"But then I wouldn't know what boy." Prim grinned.

"Dervin Rogers, the senior?" Wyatt demanded.

"That guy is bad news, what is Patience doing with him?" Chris asked Wyatt.

"I'm going to go get her," Wyatt started glimmering in white lights but was held down by Chris' grasp.

"No." Coop shook his head.

"But you don't want her with this guy uncle Coop," Wyatt protested. Coop crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"No I don't." He sighed.

"Let us go and get her?" Chris tilted his head questioning his uncle.

"It's not a magical problem," Piper had snuck out of the kitchen and was standing behind Coop unnoticed. "There is no reason to go magically appearing to rescue Patience from a teenage boy. This is a normal teenage girl problem, stop using magic to fix everything and sit back down." Piper said to her boys.

"What if something happens to her?" Coop asked.

"You'll feel it." Piper shrugged. "And I'm sure something is going to happen to her when Phoebe gets her hands on her."

"But mom this guy…" Wyatt started.

"Maybe if you two hadn't gone breaking rules, you would have been there to keep your cousin out of harms way. Think about that as you're upstairs doing your homework until dinner." Piper was slipping her arm around Coop's wrist.

"I didn't even know she was into him," Wyatt was mumbling to Chris as he walked past his mother.

"I thought she was kidding." Chris shook his head morosely. Piper led Coop into her kitchen as she shooed her nieces and nephews back into the conservatory to do their homework.

The kitchen was warmly lit by the glow of candles and the air was sweetly filled with baking pastries. Piper was methodically pulling out teacups, tea bags and honey. She pushed a steaming cup of tea towards Coop and started stirring her own absently.

"Phoebe use to sneak out with boys." Coop was nodding to himself as he stared down at the steam.

"Yes, she did." Piper nodded.

"And your other sisters were never any better. Prue would sneak Andy into the house." Coop's eyes were scanning the interior of the kitchen. It was as if he was listening to the walls talk. As a cupid he was able to sense love, the history of relationships and the manor had plenty of history. From first love, to true love, to love that transcended the heavens, to love that dragged to the pits of hell the manor had seen everything.

"Prue was in love with Andy. Phoebe needed mom and was acting out. And Paige was just rebellious." Piper smiled. Coop set his arms on the counter and lazily rested his chin on the palm of his hands.

"But you, you never snuck around? Never saw anyone grams didn't want you to see…" Coop studied Piper's reaction.

"I only defied the elders by falling in love with my white lighter." Piper laughed. Coop nodded thoughtfully.

"Charmed women are a bad mix with love." Coop sighed.

"She'll be fine Coop. You always knew these days would come, she couldn't stay a little girl forever." Piper went to check the oven, as she opened the door the aroma of vegetables and spices floated into the air.

"She's a cupid, a witch and a Halliwell. And this boy according to Wyatt and Chris is bad news, all those things combined means a road to disaster." Coop moved to wash the empty teacups.

"Wyatt and Chris are going to think any boy who goes near any of those girls is bad news." Piper consoled as she grabbed the cordless phone and handed it to her brother-in-law.

"I don't need a phone." Coop smiled and stood up straight. In an even soft voice, Coop said his daughter's name a few times and then winked at Piper before disappearing.

"Going to see Phoebe." He announced as he was disappearing.

Rain had started dripping from the dark clouds and was pounding the pavement without mercy. At the corner of Prescott and Adams, just six houses down from the manor was Patience. Sitting comfortably in a beat up old mustang was the brunette teen giggling foolishly at her date's sarcastic wit. With the powers she inherited from her father she could deduce that the teenage boy sitting across from her was getting ready to make his move. Patience coolly unbuttoned her double-breasted coat and pulled down the mirror to check her make up. Her hair was still carefully crafted to look like a messy ponytail, cheeks were slighter pinker than she wanted but it helped define her classically beautiful bone structure. She blinked her eyes, willing to control the pink tint that was threatening to overtake her natural brown as she snapped the visor back up.

"So your parents don't have a problem with you dating a senior?" Dervin asked. Dervin Rogers was dashingly attractive with angular features and shaggy red hair. He had fair skin and brilliant green eyes and had a smile that could get him out of jail, and possibly had. Dervin had a reputation for being a bad boy, having been arrested for gang related activities while only in middle school. He was still on parole and though not actually involved in the gang life anymore, could not shake the image or gossip that followed him. Though he was by no means a good boy.

"Why would they be?" Patience smiled. She leaned forward, hoping to convey her willingness for a kiss.

"I'm older than you. And you know that whole pesky criminal record usually sets parents against me." Dervin laughed. As he laughed his shoulders relaxed and the tension in him seemed to melt away.

"My parents are pretty liberal." Patience started twirling her the tips of her hair.

"Or you didn't tell them." Dervin looked at her questioningly. Patience smiled deviously but didn't answer, so Dervin pushed on.

"Patience is an interesting name…" He ran his fingers over her arm softly.

"Yeah it had something to do with how long my mom waited for me, that and my family has a thing for P names." Patience sighed heavily, signaling her own patience was wearing out.  
"Yes, it seems you don't practice your name too much though." Dervin laughed as he moved her bangs away from her forehead. He was leaning in when there was a loud pounding on the passenger window. Patience jumped and froze Dervin mid lean flipping her torso to face the window.

"PATIENCE! Get out of the car!" Chris had his fast furiously against the window. Patience narrowed her eyes at him and glanced back at her frozen date before answering her angry cousin.

"Christopher Perry go away." Patience hollered at him through the glass. Chris squinted as he stared into the car and then orbed himself into it.

"CHRIS! Get out! What if he unfreezes!" Patience panicked.

"I'll punch him and he'll be too busy to notice me." Chris shrugged. "If I leave you leave."

"He would notice if I'm not here anymore. And why is this any of your business anyway?" Patience crossed her arms and demanded.

"You just thank me that I didn't tell Wyatt where you were." Chris shot back.

"Go away Chris!" Patience whined.

"You're coming home with me, I am not leaving my younger cousin in a car with this gang banger." Chris said stubbornly.

"I'm going to tell your mom you orbed in the middle of a street." Patience threatened.

"I'll already probably grounded for the next few weeks anyway. And you're going to be too as soon as your dad and mom get their hands on you. And if Uncle Coop gets back soon, Pen will tell him where you are," Chris smiled at his cousin.

"Penelope." Patience frowned.

"How'd he get into my car?" Dervin had unfrozen without being noticed by the snipping cousins.

Patience threw her hands up and froze her date again.

"That one won't last as long, get out of the car," Patience demanded.

"I'm going to be outside that window, convince him he was seeing things. And get out of this car, or I'll go get Wyatt and Coop." Chris warned. Patience stuck her tongue out at him as he orbed away. Dervin stirred again.

"What just happened, there was someone in the car. It was," Dervin was stuttering when Chris started pounding on the window again.

"Him," Dervin finished.

"That's my cousin." Patience sighed.

"So you didn't tell anyone." Dervin smiled. Patience slid her hand over his arm as she leaned in again and kissed Dervin. Her hand was on the handle of the door before she even pulled away and when the kiss ended the door was already open.

"See you later," Patience said as Chris grabbed his wrist and pulled her forcefully out of the car. He shut the door and started walking her away from the car in seconds. Dervin started the car and was moving alongside them. He rolled down the window.

"Call you later," He winked at her before speeding away.

"You are not going to date him." Chris was shaking his head.

"I don't remember you being given the power to control who I date, or did you develop that magical ability over night?" Patience was pushing her heels into the sidewalk, making Chris pull her along.

"He's bad news Patience. I don't think that Aunt Phoebe is going to let you date him either. And Wyatt and I are not going to help you sneak around with someone like that." Chris tugged at her a little harder as they got closer to the manor.

"Yeah but demon hunting! You'll help me sneak around to do that because that's what you two want to do!" Patience yelled at him.

"Don't yell." Chris gritted his teeth.

The two cousins kept bickering until they reached the manor, never suspecting or noticing that they were being watched. As soon as Piper yanked her son and niece into the house the apparently empty air across the street rippled.


	3. Never been a story of more woe

**  
2. Never been a story with more woe**

Where the ocean meets rock, somewhere along the northern coast of California was a cave. This cave was not only hard to detect by human standards but by magical standards as well. Being protected by old and new forces of magic, it maintained an appearance of being constantly flooded when in truth the waves only shallowly rolled over the sand at the entrance of the cave.  
The empty air rippled and four feet suddenly appeared sinking into the moisten sand as a small wave retreated back into the ocean. Two dainty black ballet flats jumped from the wet sand onto the drier sand further into the cave. The owner of the ballet flats was a petite girl with silvery white skin and pitch black eyes. She twirled around to look at her companion rolling her eyes as she watched a wave splash into the back of his ankles.

"Why do you like to do that?" The girl demanded.

"The ocean is refreshing," He retorted as he stepped towards her. The two walked down the natural stone corridor. The girl had black hair that matched her eyes up in pigtails and walked pointing her toes. She was dressed white collared shirt with capped sleeves and a red plaid skirt that matched a scarf she had wrapped around her neck. Her companion walked digging in his heels, dragging the bottom of his khaki pants. He was about ahead taller than her and had his hands shoved deeply in his red coats pockets. They reached the end of the corridor entering a spacious cavern that no longer felt like a cave.

The cavern had white marble floors that contrasted against the dark brown walls magnificently. Lining the walls were not only torches but also hammocks hanging between fashionable tiki torches and small palm trees. In the center of the room where a variety of things clustered in bunches from couches, to pool tables, to a bar and stools. There seemed to be no real order to anything, almost as if all the pieces of furniture were left where they were first placed.

In the cluster of couches sat four other youths, two more girls and two more boys. Commanding attention was a devious looking young man, with tousled black hair and brilliant black eyes. He sat with both feet planted and both his arms rested regally on the armrests of his recliner. A girl was laying in his lap her head lazily resting on his right arm while her knees bent over his left arm. She was pretending to sleep and had two ear buds slipped into her ears.

"Did you find out anything useful?" The commanding boy demanded as the girl and boy approached the group.

"That depends on what you find useful Javin." The girl said flippantly as she deposited herself onto the lap of one of the boys on the couch. Javin glared at her as she started making out with the boy.

"Wyatt and Christopher caught up with some trouble with those dark lighters. They are intoxicatingly powerful." The boy responded as sat on a nearby stool and kicked off his shoes.

"Well we are following them for a reason, but did you gather any ideas for a plan of attack?" Javin demanded. The boy shrugged and shrugged his coat off letting it fall to the floor.

"The boys have a very strong bond as brothers. Though they also have a strong rivalry. It might be possible to use that against them, to attempt to break them up but its not the easiest bond to break." The boy responded.

"Yes, I suppose that's true Julian." Javin nodded and then glared back at the girl. Though she seemed to not notice as her arms slipped around the boy's torso.

"Navya." Javin said sternly and the girl pulled herself away from the boy reluctantly. She licked her lips as she turned to face Javin, her eyes mirroring his in irritation.

"What?" She demanded. Javin cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow, using his facial expressions to dare her to continue her behavior.

"We might be able to influence the oldest of the cupids, she is easily distracted. Emotionally unstable, and possibly in lust with a boy her parents will never approve of. Though the path seems problematic because not only would her parents disapprove, so would the brothers and then we're faced with their powerful bond." Navya rolled her eyes.

"But we could use this relationship?" Javin asked.

"If we influence her lust, make her fixate. She might isolate herself." The girl in Javin's lap suggested as she pulled out her ear buds.

"But we need to attack one of their ties. We still think their sibling ties are all too strong?" Javin directed the question to no one in particular.

"Of course they are." An older voice said from behind the group. At the sound of the voice all the youth stumbled onto their feet. After a few minutes of bustling about the six youth stood in a straight line, in order of their assumed ages.

"Mr. Tolliver." They group said in unison.

"Messy bunch you all are. And the items on the ground Julian?" The older gentleman chastised. The group didn't look abash though, they were all too proud to be disappointed in themselves for their messy appearances. Upon inspection one might notice that the six youth were in some sort of liberal uniform. The girls were in variations of white collared shirts, each wearing a different type of accent from scarf, to belt, to headband. They were all in either khaki or black slacks, or a black of red plaid skirt. Though in uniform, each youth had a distinct style that was easily represented through the use of accessories.

"Olivia get the board." Mr. Tolliver commanded. The older gentleman was nearly his forties and stood handsomely tall. His once jet black hair was sprinkled with streaks of gray and he had aged lines across his face. Mr. Tolliver looked tough and being in charge of six unruly teenagers might be why.

The girl who had been lying across Javin scrambled to a corner of the cave and pulled out a rolling black board. The board had a chart drawn on it, divided into 9 sections with each section heading being the named of a charmed child.

"Javin, I'm surprised you haven't seen it yet.' Mr. Tolliver shook his head as he picked up a piece of chalk and waved Olivia back into her place in line.

"The brothers connection is too strong, but we can distracted them with their own rivalry." Mr. Tolliver repeated as he drew some symbols over the line in-between Wyatt and Chris section of the chart.

"It is true that we can isolate Patience with her new found path into relationships." Mr. Tolliver smiled as he drew a symbol into Patience section of the chart.

"The other boy, and the youngest and the outspoken twin are of no consequence. We have to focus on the namesakes." Here Mr. Tolliver drew a line connecting Melinda, Patricia and Penelope.

"But why?" Navya asked and upon receiving a look added, "Sir?"

"The siblings bonds are strong because?" Mr. Tolliver asked.

"Wyatt and Chris are far too connected to separate and Melinda only brings them closer together. And combined with their vast range of power, they are nearly impossible to break down." Javin responded quickly.

"While the cupids are so interconnected with their sensing loved ones and their mother's empathy. That they are hard to make hate each other." Olivia sighed.

"And Paige's twins shared powers make them a hard bond to break as well, leading to the same problem as Piper's kids." Responded the boy next to Olivia, a blond known as Adam.

"So if we can't break down the siblings bond, we move to the next strongest bond. The bond of their ancestry, such a thing of pride for the Halliwells, we focus on the namesakes. Break them apart and then move to the weakest sibling bond, the cupids." Mr. Tolliver explained. He turned back to the teenagers as he finished on the board and stared at them for a second before proceeding.

"And who are the namesakes named after?" He asked.

"Melinda Prudence Halliwell is named not only for the first witch of the charmed family but also for the oldest charmed sister." Navya responded. She had been required to study the history of the person she had been following and could recite most of it from memory.

"Patricia is named after the mother of the Charmed Ones, having carried all four." Grace a girl with highlighted brown hair and bangs stated.

"While Penelope is named after the Charmed Ones grandmother, the woman responsible for raising the original three sisters. She is also responsible for a majority of the newer spells present in the Book of Shadows." Olivia finished off.

"And the most powerful one?" Mr. Tolliver asked.

"Is debatable." Javin responded rebelliously.

"No." Mr. Tolliver shook his head.

"It's Melinda, being named after two of the powerful witches in the family line." Navya looked down the line and stuck her tongue out at Javin.

"But," Javin started ignoring the stern look Mr. Tolliver was giving him. " Penelope is a partial cupid with very strong powers, while Patricia shares not only in two witch powers but also in some white lighter abilities as well. In terms of powers, Melinda can't be the most powerful."

"You are blinded by amounts rather than by strength. Melinda is considered in many circles of demons to be the most powerful, not only because of her namesakes. But also because she will grow powerful on her own right and with the connection of her extremely powerful brothers." Mr. Tolliver sighed.

"Amount is strength." Javin rolled his eyes.

"To inexperienced youth." Mr. Tolliver refuted and Javin stopped protesting. Mr. Tolliver paced in front of the lined up youth and looked at his watch.

"Javin go report to Anka and Kron. Olivia go influence our little lust driven Patience. Adam move to collect the seeping power of rebellion from the brothers as I am sure they are going to be punished for their misbehavior. The rest of you to bed." Mr. Tolliver commanded and the air rippled three times at one end of the line.

Javin reappeared next to a pool table, upon the pool table laid a half finished game. Anka sat on the end of the table, still only dressed in a white bikini top and mini skirt flipping through the newest issue of people. She looked at Javin, studying him with her green eyes as she announced him.

"Look they sent Javin, you're my favorite. So much repressed youth in you." Anka jumped down from her perch. Kron was sitting on a spotless white couch, leaning forward as he anticipated the next move his video game character was going to make. He sat shirtless, the tops of his boxers peeking from over his jeans.

"Hi Anka," Javin smiled at her as her coffee cream-colored hands slipped around his neck and started loosening his tie.

"How do you manage to retain so much youth in you? As I understand it don't you retain your memories of maturing?" Anka asked as she skillfully started to unbutton the top buttons. Javin carefully placed his white hands onto her elbows, slowly sliding up her arm while pushing her hands down.

"We do." He responded nervously. "We do retain it, but something about being young again helps us forget."

"She means you forget more than the others, that's why you're her favorite." Kron tossed the words over his shoulders but never removed his eyes from the game. Javin softly pushed Anka away from him and he took a few steps back as he re-buttoned his white long sleeved shirt.

"I'm not sure why that is. I've not been older than 23 in over a century?" Javin shrugged.

"It's truly interesting how you're little group of demons came up with this idea. Feeding off of youth, much in the same fashion we do. Following our fountain, you're lucky we stopped guarding it so well I suppose." Kron flung his controller down as he lost and swung himself over the back of the couch.

"But you've been young forever and seem not to get any older." Javin provided.

"Its different. We are the very essence of youth. We can never age and we can never grow any wiser. We act upon every impulse and we do whatever we please. We exist without restrictions to our youth so we can never age. If we were to age, the fountain of youth would no longer exist. As you know, because you're constant youth depends on it, that hasn't happened." Kron shrugged as he picked up the pool stick to start playing his game of pool again.

"Did you come to play?" Anka asked.

"Not exactly." Javin looked longingly at one of the pool sticks.

"He reeks of restrictions." Anka crinkled her nose.

"Also interesting that with your youth your group sees fit to impose restrictions. But I need a partner, so if you're going to talk you might as well play." Kron pushed back his hair and leaned his muscular chest over the edge of the table as he took his shot.

"We are going to target the traditional cousins, the namesakes." Javin shared.

"I want Wyatt and Chris." Anka squealed.

"That's who we're going to target." Kron smiled his perfect smile.

"But they are so powerful?" Javin was taken aback. He ran his hand through his black hair.

"We like power." Kron pulled out a snapped his fingers and a beer bottle appeared on the table for him.

"Wyatt reminds me so much of Alexander, and Chris of Marc Anthony. I miss Marc Anthony." Anka pouted.

"But what will you do with them?" Javin frowned.

"We said we would help you distract them because we are bored. You don't understand we don't intend to do anything we don't already do. We like to influence youth to direct their powers, the young are reckless by nature but sometimes that's restricted. We are what some parents consider bad influences. Though without us Arthur might have never united England, Joan of Arc would not have become a martyr, and Cleopatra surely wouldn't have overthrown her own brother…" Kron missed his shot and Javin studied his options before hitting his balls into the right pocket.

"If they prove to be as entertaining as I feel them to be, we'll grant your wish of eternal youth without the fountain. If you achieve you're little stunt of breaking down the charmed children's defenses, you'll receive the money promised to you by the rising source?" Kron asked curiously.

Javin nodded as he missed his second shot. Kron laughed innocently, took a sip of his beer and leaned down for his shot. Anka snapped her fingers conjuring a colorful drink with an umbrella and started sipping from a straw. She went to sit on the ledge of the window looking out onto the entire city of San Francisco. She bent one leg up and let her other leg dangle as she stared out searching the flickering lights, like she could see beyond them.

"I can feel them." She sighed happily as she closed her eyes. Anka focused on a loft apartment in downtown, the home of Phoebe and Coop where she watched first love being quenched.

The streetlights went on as the last light of the sun disappeared and the people strolling by the Westin Building might have been able to make out the shouting match happening over their heads. On the third floor of the modern flats complex, Phoebe Halliwell was trying to remember why she couldn't strangle her own daughter. She held her hand upon her cheek exasperated.

"You can't tell me who to love!" Patience shouted at her parents. She stood enraged in the middle of the living room with her arms crossed over her chest. The living room was a spacious room with red couches, a black media center and white carpets. Coop sat on the loveseat a few feet from his oldest daughter, rubbing his temples.

"Patience you aren't in love," He sighed as he tried for the twentieth time this evening to explain the differences between love and lust to his teenage daughter.

"You don't know that!" She stomped her foot passionately.

"He's a CUPID!" Phoebe shouted at her daughter. After Chris had brought his love-lost cousin back into the Manor, no one had even tried to deal with her. Wyatt had attempted to assert some of his older brotherly wisdom and authority over her but she had screamed at the top of her lungs until Piper commanded he leave her alone. Coop had decided it best that Patience was dealt with by both her parents in their own home, so he let her be. The family had all eaten dinner together at the Manor, most of them sullen and quiet and Phoebe had driven her family home immediately afterwards.

That's when this fight had started as the moment they were in their apartment, Phoebe declared that Patience was no longer allowed to see this boy.

"And if you focus a little bit of your energy into learning your cupid powers. You might be able to recognize hormonal teenage lust compared to actual love." Coop shook his head slightly. Coop was the calmer of the two parents; he was quiet and focused his part of the lecture to Patience learning to recognize her own emotions apart from her powers emotions. While Phoebe was focusing on the dangers of her fourteen year old daughter going down a familiar path of bad boy relationships.

"I know what I'm feeling." Patience replied stubbornly.

"Well learn to control you're feelings because you are not dating that boy." Phoebe was done arguing.

"Patience, you know you're not allowed to go home with anyone but your cousins." Coop started trying to steer the conversation away.

"You just don't understand!" Patience screamed running to her room. She slammed her red door loudly.

"You know you're grounded!" Phoebe shouted at the closed door. Coop threw his arm back and held Phoebe's hand keeping her from following their daughter.

"I think I can hear Gram laughing at me." Phoebe blew her bangs out of her face as she slide down next to Coop. Coop chuckled at the thought.

"You were a handful love." He replied massaging his wife's shoulders.

" I couldn't have been so stubborn…" Phoebe said unsure of her own words. Coop just nodded at her.

"Yes, well I didn't have a mother to tell me what a bad idea some of those guys were." Phoebe justified looking brightly at Coop for affirmation. Coop laughed until tears came to his eyes and he pulled Phoebe into a hug.

"Yes you only had a grandmother and two older sisters and one younger sister telling you they were a bad idea." He laughed.

"She can't go down that path though, look at what happened to me…" Phoebe sighed looking defeated.

"She won't." Coop reassured her, though he himself wasn't so sure that they could stop her. Phoebe slipped off her shoes as she nestled herself into Coop. Coop slouched a bit and picked up the remote to turn on the TV, to drown out the sound of things being thrown.

"Patience, we're not going to replace anything you break!" Phoebe shouted at her daughter's closed door again.

Hovering outside the window, completely invisible Olivia watched as Patience entered her dark room. The streetlights poured in light that streaked over the red and white combination of the room. Olivia smiled at the individualization of the room, a coca-cola theme was apparent from the color scheme to the glass bottle lamps. Olivia watched the angered teen throw stuff animals and books at the door in frustration. She smiled at the bitter taste of injustice that came rolling out of the room easily.

In her room, Patience was throwing anything she could grab at her door. She was grumbling to herself angrily as she pace back in forth in front of her vanity. After a few times, she stopped and stared at the mirror. She pulled out the tie that held her ponytail letting her hair fall in a wrinkled wave onto her shoulders. Patience was so frustrated she was crying, she took a tissue and wiped off her cheeks. She unbuttoned her dark red jacket and pulled it off, revealing her deep v-necked white shirt.

Olivia started whispering, chanting a rhyme to reminded Patience that she was magical. Olivia nonchalantly played with the tips of her golden hair as she whispered words to encourage Patience to use magic. Olivia didn't care for what purpose Patience used her magic, just that she used it. It was proven that teenagers often screwed up their use of magic, personal gain was rampant in their spells but more importantly it seemed they never got what they wanted. Teenage spells were a path to a magical taught lesson, but always provided a great amount of expended power. Mr. Tolliver's teenage demons were always on the hunt for hormonal impulsive magic, it was their goal to collect it for themselves. The youthful magic is what the group collected from good little witches is what they used to follow the fountain of youth when it moved.

"Why doesn't she understand?" Patience asked her reflection. She pulled out her earrings and unfastened her necklace dropping them into her hand as she looked around her table for her jewelry box. Olivia beckoned the box and it scooted forward into the shining light of the street lamps, as Patience had still failed to turn on her own lights. She pulled out a small wooden box running her fingers over the craved triquetra before opening the box.

Olivia smiled, it was so easy to provoke the charmed children these days.

"That's it!" Patience gasped to herself. She twirled around, throwing herself over her bed. She grabbed a pen and a notepad and started jotting down words. She rolled to be on her back, holding the note pad over her head and still writing and occasionally crossing out words. In her white top and tight black pants she laid in perfect contrast with her Coca-Cola bedspread. The wall directly behind her bed was painted in coca-cola red and had five white frames holding back and white photographs. The photographs had been taken by young Henry and were portraits of the family in threes, the sets of siblings and the husbands all drinking cokes.

"Perfect!" Patience jumped onto her feet again and took a deep breath. She paced to the windowsill, lighting her candles by blowing on them. She closed her eyes for a second before opening them to recite her spur of the moment spell.

Olivia stared straight into Patience's eyes as she said the spell unnoticed. As she stared at her reflection in the window, Olivia got distracted with studying her own complexion.

"To let my mother know, that I am on my own. Remind her of her loves, all the highs and lows. Let the memories be serve so I might gain my own wisdom." She ripped the sheet off the top of the notepad and folded it before holding it above the open flame. She let the flames consume the paper completely and then blew out the candle.

The air outside the window rippled as Olivia disappeared as quickly as the flame blew out. Meanwhile, Patience changed into a set of cotton PJ Pants and top, she saw a message scrawled on her mirror.

_That was a bad spell. You shouldn't be doing magic. _Patience frowned at the words as they disappeared. Penelope had figured out how to write messages through their vanities, because each sister had one in their room. The white wall that the Patience's vanity rested against was the shared wall between the sister's rooms. Penelope and Primrose shared a room, and Penelope had taken to spying on her older sister since Patience had entered middle school.

"Mind your own business." She mumbled. She put a thick white headband on and pulled out a worn out novel from her backpack.

"It's not even like it's going to work," Patience mumbled to herself as she slipped into bed. She flicked a reading light on and started thumbing through Romeo and Juliet. There was a light knock on the door but Patience didn't look up or speak.

"We wanted to say good night." Coop commented with his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"You know, Romeo and Juliet weren't allowed to be together and look at what happened to them." Patience looked up defiantly.

"Well if they had just communicated more and been a slight bit less impulsive. Maybe had some understanding parents." Phoebe rattled off.

"Understanding parents wouldn't ground a girl for loving a boy." Patience looked at her mother expectantly. Coop chuckled and started to back away while Phoebe stepped into the room. Phoebe was still dressed in her work attire and the heels of her fancy shoes clicked with a sort of suppressed annoyance on the wooden floor of the room. She sat on the side of the bed and used her right hand to pull the book down from her daughter's face.

"Patience," Phoebe sighed.

"Mother." Patience responded.

"Oh I'm mother today am I?" Phoebe smiled. Patience shrugged still defiant.

Phoebe shook her long chestnut hair off her shoulders and smiled sweetly at her oldest. She lifted her hand and caressed the young girl's cheek softly.

"A week and seriously don't go home with anyone but Wyatt and Chris." Phoebe pointed her maternal finger seriously at Patience.

"Yes ma'am." Patience rolled her eyes.

"Beautiful things may be admired, if not loved." A male voice said.

"Who was that?" Patience jumped.

"Who?" Phoebe frantically looked around the room ready for an attack. But nothing was visible in the dark room.

"I might have imagined it." Patience stared into the dark room.

"Maybe you should sleep." Phoebe kissed her daughter's forehead. As Phoebe started walking out of the room the male voice spoke again.

"She is going to be just as beautiful as her mother." The voice dotted. And that's when he stepped out of the shadows of the corner of the room. A tall man pale in the shadows with dark hair dressed in a casual well-tailored suit.

"Mom," Patience said urgently when the voice materialized. Phoebe turned around throwing her arms straight through the man that had appeared.

"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked and Patience noticed her mother couldn't see the man.

"Nothing." Patience whispered as she stared straight at the man. The man looked curiously at Patience.

"Good night." Phoebe said as she shut the door.

"Can you see me?" The man asked Patience.

"Who are you?" Patience demanded in a whisper not wanting to alarm her parents.

"You can, that's interesting. You're not dying…" The man paced around the bed looking over Patience ensuring his assumption was correct about her dying.

"I am going to get my mom and aunts in here to vanquish you." Patience threatened pulling up the blankets to cover her chest.

"Phoebe can't see me. Neither can Paige or Piper. Besides they've already vanquished me." The man leaned against the wall and stared longingly at the door.

"You've been vanquished?"' Patience asked intrigued. The man nodded and looked at her strangely again.

"But why can you suddenly see me?' He said more to himself than to her. The two were silent for a few long minutes, starring at each other. Patience studied the man in her room. She decided he was about 30 years old. He looked human and had yet to use any kind of demonic power, so she wasn't feeling threatened by him. She was trying to visualize the pages of the book of shadows in her mind, trying to remember if she recognized the handsome face.

"Before what you said…" Patience whispered.

"Beautiful things may be admired, if not loved?" The man repeated.

"Yes, why did you say that?" Patience whispered.

"I was talking about your mother. It was something that Frank L. Baum wrote." The man responded, crossing his arms.

"But why were you talking about my mother?" Patience asked as she slide closed her book giving up on her reading for the night. The man was studying the room now, searching for the answer to his question.

"You said a spell?" He asked her. Patience paused and then nodded. He shook his head but was smiling.

"Maybe its only temporary then, that you can see me. You should go to sleep." The man suggested. Patience frowned unsure if she should trust this invisible man in her room, but something about his demeanor calmed her.

"Are you going to stay here? I shouldn't trust you." Patience yawned.

"You're going to fall asleep anyway." The man suggested but he was stepping towards her. He reached out his hand to pull the blanket, but his hand went right through the physical materials like a hologram.

"I'm on a different plane, I can't hurt you." He smiled.

"You could." Patience nodded. "I learned something about it at magic school. Something about different planes…" She yawned again.

"You're reading Shakespeare?" The man changed the subject. Patience nodded.

"What part are you at?" The man asked.

"Juliet is waiting for the nurse to come," Patience yawned again.

"Why don't I recite it to you? You'll fall asleep and by the time you wake up the magic will have worn off. You might not even remember me. " The man winked at her and stared pacing dramatically.

"The clock struck nine since I did send the nurse…" The man started as his words were timed with his steps and soon Patience was fast asleep. The man stared at the black and white photographs on the wall above the sleeping teen smiling when he came to the one of the charmed ones.

"To be that bottle upon her lips…" He whispered before dissolving into the wall leading to the outside world.


	4. When It Rains

**It Takes a Village **

_3. _**When it Rains**

Rain pounded on the bay windows while Pandora sat on the window seat of her family's living room flicking her fingers against the glass. At the point where her finger impacted the window the drops of rain appeared to be soaked up into the glass right into her finger.

"Dora! Go get ready for school!" Henry was rummaging around the living room looking for his shoes. Pandora didn't move though, as she concentrated on the water and her finger. Henry found his left shoe under his son's jacket and his right shoe under a pillow. The Mitchell living room was not as organized as the Manor and not as well coordinated as Phoebe and Coop's home, but it was homey and comfortable. Bending down to tie his shoe, Henry noticed his daughter hadn't moved.

"Pandora, you're going to be late." Henry sighed as he stood up and walked towards the window to hurry her along. Suddenly Dora had achieved in igniting a flame on the outside of the glass, burning right in the middle of the raindrops.

"Check it out Dad." Dora was fixated on the flame. Henry frowned down at her and grabbed her elbow.

"Pandora, that is enough. Go get ready for school." Henry pulled her up and pushed her softly towards the hallway. The young teen skipped down the hallway towards her shared room to finish getting dress.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Paige stormed into the living room looking flustered. Henry smiled at his wife, even when she was flustered she still looked beautiful. Her dark brown hair was twisted elegantly on her head and only half her make-up was done.

"What's wrong?' Henry walked up to his wife, slipping his arm around her waist.

"I thought I made some last night. I put them over here," Paige motioned putting away an imaginary potion bottle. "I need them for a demonstration I'm giving at Magic School." The Charmed sisters often gave lectures and demonstrations at Magic School, per request of Leo who was still the headmaster. Paige taught more often than either of her sisters, teaching part-time for whole semesters. Though the youngest Charmed sister had gone back to work part-time at a social service office and was still almost a full time white lighter.

"I know I put it right here, after we got home last night. I know I set it there before I had to go check on Marigold." Paige was mumbling to herself as she traveled to the kitchen with Henry following her.

"What did it look like?" Henry opened one of the cabinets shifting through little bottles of potion ingredients.

"Like a potion bottle Henry," Paige responded frustrated. She was shuffling through papers on the dinning room table, looking underneath things in a vain attempt to find the potion. HJ came stumbling into the kitchen, smacking into his mother.

"Sorry mum," He mumbled as he slid out from behind her. He opened the nearest cabinet and grabbed a box of pop tarts. Tearing off the silver wrapping of a package with his teeth, he started munching on the cold pastry as he pulled himself up to sit on the kitchen counter.

"What you looking for?" He asked his parents.

"You're ready for school?" His father ignored his question as he shifted through the dishes, thinking that with the way that Paige was sometimes the potion bottle might have ended up at the bottom of the sink.

"Yeah, Wyatt should be here in a second. Mum can I come to the lecture at Magic School this afternoon?" HJ asked hopeful. The young Henry was the only charmed child that had an attachment to Magic School. He liked to attend the lectures and had actually debated attending high school there instead of at George Washington with his cousins. But his parents had insisted that he stay at George Washington and go part time to Magic School. HJ was a flourishing young white lighter. But his focus on pacifism made him ignore his active powers and caused him to be underdeveloped compared to his cousins. Though he was the only one who could heal aside from Wyatt, and he could use his white lighter powers much better than his older cousin. But the young teen had yet to master his ability to move objects, and couldn't really make it work on command like his older cousins. Instead HJ's power still function much like Paige's had in the beginning, it completely depended on him being frightened enough.

"If you find this potion that I'm looking for, you can even orb there." Paige grumbled.

"Paige!" Henry glared at his wife. "You can't orb there, if you go you will use that portal at the manor. Piper is right you are all using too much magic." Henry often sided with Piper on the idea that his children, nieces and nephews were using magic to the point of irresponsibility.

"Fine, fine. Your father's right. But have you seen the potion?" Paige had her hands on her hips as she stared at her son.

"The one you were working on last night?" HJ asked cautiously. His mother nodded, narrowing her eyes noticing how he was avoiding eye contact.

"Do you know where it went?" Paige asked again.

"I might have seen Dora with it…" The young man said. "Wyatt's here." He disappeared into a swirl of white lights.

"You could use the stairs!" Henry shouted at his son.

"PANDORA!" Paige yelled.

"They are going to be late." Henry repeated.

"Very late once I kill her." Paige responded quickly walking out of her kitchen. Henry nervously looked at his watch, he was going to late now too it seemed. Paige stormed down the hallway and pounded on the door of the room her twin daughters shared.

"I'm almost ready mom!" Patricia hollered out.

"PANDORA!" Paige shouted again. The door creaked out and the young red headed teen stood smiling brightly, faking happiness to see her mother.

"Morning Mum. Look I'm ready to go, is Aunt Piper here?" She asked. Dora was dressed in black track pants and green thermal under a dark green shirt sporting Kermit the Frog touting a message about going green. Paige held out her hand and glared at her daughter.

"The potion Pandora." Paige's fingers twitched, making a motion of handing it over.

"The one you were making last night?" Pandora asked innocently.

"Yes! The one I was making last night. Where is it?" Paige demanded.

"I might have, sort of, accidentally…" Pandora started.

"Pandora Mitchell, how many times do we have to tell you that you are not to mess with the potions without supervision?" Henry started. Paige held up her hand to her husband though and bent down a bit to be on eye level with her thirteen year old.

"What did you do with it?" Paige asked again. Pandora took a deep breath and bent down and pulled up on her pant legs. When the fabric of the pant leg came up there was nothing there, it seemed that Pandora's leg was missing from the knee down.

"You spilled it on yourself?" Paige examined her daughter's leg. Grabbing hold of the invisible calf to make sure that it was in reality still there even though she couldn't see it.

"What were you doing to spill it on yourself?" Henry frowned at her.

"I was just looking it." Dora started and at the look of disbelief on both her parents' faces she continued. "I was trying to figure out what was in it by smelling it and sort of dropped it."

Paige was shaking her head in disbelief. Henry was actually not focusing on Dora at all but watching Patricia in the background. Tricia was biting down n her lower lip nervously and trying very hard to stay concentrated on finishing her make-up.

"Tricia, is this true?" Henry asked over Paige and Dora's heads. Tricia jumped at the sound of her name and ran her mascara brush over her cheek.

"I don't know daddy." Tricia jittered as she started trying to wipe off the black on her cheek. Henry strode into the room and went to stand behind Tricia; he stared down at her suspiciously. He didn't say a word, just stood and watched her and Dora was trying to distract Paige with mumblings about being able to start a fire even with the moisture in the air from the rain. It wasn't really working; Paige was starring intently at Henry and Tricia.

"She was going to drink it, I startled her when I shouted at her to stop." Tricia mumbled. "And then she dropped it on her leg."

"You were going to drink an unidentified potion?" Paige's voice went up a few octaves in shock. Henry bent down and whispered in Tricia's ear.

"You know you should tell us things like that, even if Dora suggests not to." He sighed. "Also, you're wearing too much make-up." And with that he moved away from his quietest child and back into the hallway where Paige was in a full rant now.

"Of all the ridiculous things to drink a potion! You don't know what it might have been, what if it was some kind of toxic! Why would you do that?" Paige was demanding.

"You didn't let me watch you make it so I didn't know what it was. I read about being able to smell out the ingredients but I don't know the smells well enough, so you know I thought if I had a little taste I might know what it was…" Pandora was desperately trying to explain. "Nothing happened, I'm fine. I knew it might not be that bad of a potion, I mean you were taking it for the freshmen at magic school. It couldn't be that powerful."

"Pandora Mitchell that is not a solid enough reason to decide to drink a potion. With that kind of judgment I wonder how you're going to be a good practicing witch." Paige was shaking her head back and forth.

Paige held her hand up to her ear and shut her eyes.

"Piper is here." Paige, Dora and Tricia said at the same time.

"Don't let anyone see you are missing a leg! That potion won't wear off until tonight." Paige pointed a finger at Dora sternly.

"Yes Mum." She sighed defeated.

"We're not done discussing this. Go on though before your aunt leaves without you." Henry nodded down the hall. Both girls grabbed their respective backpacks and raced out the door.

"What are we going to do with her?" Paige demanded.

"We're going to figure it out later, because right now we're both going to be very late." Henry kissed Paige on the cheek before walking away to find his jacket.

Completely caught up in their own fight, Tricia and Dora stepped out onto the open street without much thought to the rain. They were completely drenched in seconds of stepping out onto the street and scurried to Piper's car looking like drowned rats.

"Where are your coats?" Piper demanded as they dripped onto her recently cleaned backseat.

"When did it start raining that hard?" Dora demanded as she rung out her hair.

"Dora! Stop that!" Piper scolded. "You're getting the car all wet."

Dora made a face and then pointed her own finger to her hair and she seemed to soak all the moisture from it.

"Dora!" Piper scolded again watching her niece use magic from her rearview mirror.

"Do mine!" Tricia whined as she was trying to warm herself up. Dora pressed her index finger unto her sister's shoulder and sat for a few minutes seemingly soaking up all the water present on her clothing.

"How did you do that?" Penelope had her head cocked to the side trying to understand the new magic that Dora seemed to have acquired.

"Well, I figured out I could do it this morning. I think its because when I'm trying to create fire in the wet air, I have to soak up all the water before it can happen. I'm not sure how it really works." Dora shrugged.

"You should not be using your magic just because the two of you forgot your coats." Piper sighed knowing it was no use lecturing. She herself was impressed that her niece had discovered another function of her magic, no matter how much she wished that the kids would stop overusing their magic their powers were maturing and an alarmingly quick rate.

"That's nifty function though. You don't have to use a hair dryer anymore." Melinda turned around to face her cousins in the backseat.

"Isn't that personal gain?" Penelope questioned quietly.

"Yes it is." Piper glared at her daughter for suggesting it.

"Hey Pen, what happened with Patience and that boy? Is she going to be allowed to see him?" Melinda asked excitedly.

"Phoebe would never allow her to see him!" Piper mumbled. She was trying to focus driving; the rain was making it a particular dangerous feat. She was trying to ignore the pre-teens in her car as much as possible, though it was hard with their squealing and giggles. At the moment Piper pulled up to the curb in front of the middle school the four girls jumped out of the car quicker than she could wish them a good day.

"Well have a good day," Piper shook her head as she watched the girls run into the building, catching a glimpse of what looked like a disconnected shoe on Dora's left leg. She frowned but didn't think twice as she pulled away from the school just as the warning bell was ringing.

"Tricia you aren't mad at me?" Dora was pulling at her sister's backpack. But Tricia ignored her, which meant that she was indeed mad at her twin sister.

"Come on," Dora pleaded.

"Leave me alone Dora. I don't want to talk to you right now. You're the reason we're always in trouble!" Tricia pushed her off her backpack. "Come on Melinda." Tricia slipped her arm into the bent elbow of her cousin and the two took off down the crowded hallway leaving Dora behind.

"What happened with you two now?" Melinda whispered as the two girls walked into their first period English class. Tricia rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I just wish that she could go one day without using her magic. I don't even think she's capable of it." Tricia whispered so lowly that few of their classmates even realized she was talking.

Melinda nodded.

"I think the same thing about Chris and Wyatt. It's almost like their addicts." Melinda and Patricia were the least attached to magic out of their siblings and cousins. They use their magic when it was convenient for them or they needed to protect themselves but otherwise they attempted to be normal. The two girls wanted to live normal lives, they hated that demons had been attacking them and their families since they were born. They hated attending any classes at magic school. They hated anything that interfered with their teenage girl social life.

"Who is that?" Tricia discreetly pointed to a blond boy sitting near the window. He was a bit taller than most of the boys in the classroom, he looked only slightly older than everyone else. He was dressed in a cargo pants and red t-shirt, he wore no coat and didn't seem to notice the girls starring at him.

"I don't know. But he's cute." Melinda giggled back.

"Let's go people, eighth grade waits for no one!" An older woman with peppered gray hair clapped her hands to get attention from the rest of the class. The young people in the classroom scrambled around a bit before sitting down, Melinda and Tricia sat next to each other towards the back left corner of the room.

"We have a new member joining our ranks today!" The older lady announced motioning for the blond boy to come forward.

"This is Adam Ankron." She introduced. "Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself."

The boy walked towards the middle of the room, he leaned against the teacher's desk as he looked at the other students in the class.

"Well, my name is Adam." He gave a bored smile to the class. The girls in the front row giggled at him but he didn't even look at them.

"I just moved here from Florida. I like to wear red and I like romantic walks along the beach." He was looking right at Tricia when he made this joke and winked at her mischievously.

"That is enough then Mr. Ankron." The teacher shooed him away back to his seat. "It seems I have yet another wisecracker." She frowned playfully at the new student before turning to the white board.

"I hope everyone read their chapters last night in Anne Frank. We're going to discuss the reading and the last twenty minutes of class we're going to an in-class writing assignment." She announced.

The discussion was almost completely loss on the charmed cousins in the back row as they happily passed notes back and forth to each other about the mysterious new boy. The class discussion and even the writing assignment passed in a blur, between discussions about what Adam might really like to do besides his claimed desire for romantic beach walks. Melinda and Tricia were the first two out of the classroom when the bell rang, still giggling and whispering to each other. Adam was by them only seconds later, purposefully pushing into Tricia's shoulder.

"Oh, sorry." He bent down to pick up the book he dropped at her feet. Tricia starred down at him in a trance. He stood back up and smiled at her again, showing off every one of his perfectly straight white teeth.

"I had to run into you, I just couldn't stop looking at you…" He held out his hand but instead of trying to shake her hand he took her books.

"Let me carry these, where are you going next?" He asked still smiling.

"To, um…" Tricia stuttered. Melinda's eyes were open wide as she stared at him.

"Well you're carrying an algebra book, so I might guess it's your next class? That's my next class too, I would love the pleasure of walking you there, Patricia?" He was bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"How do you know my name?" Tricia snapped out of her trace suspiciously eying him now. 13 years a magical heir to the charmed legacy had taught Tricia one thing, never trust anyone who knows anything about you without being told.

"It's on your notebook," He lifted his arms a bit to show off the name she had written on the top of the cover of her notebook.

"But that was rude of me, as you know I'm Adam. And you're name is Patricia?" He questioned.

"Yes, Tricia Mitchell. And this is my cousin, Melinda." Tricia waved her hand over Melinda.

"Pleased to meet you both." He smiled warmly at Melinda.

"Yes nice to meet you. I'm not going to algebra so I'll leave you too before I'm lat to my P.E. class." Melinda ducked under Tricia's arm and weaved down the hallway without a glance back.

"Excuse my bluntness, but I noticed your eyes in class. I knew I had to meet you." Adam started walking down the hall.

"You were brave to do that romantic beach walk bit," Tricia blushed as she looked down at her shoes.

"Oh I meant it though, I really like walking along the beach. Maybe with a girl with pretty eyes." He said slyly as leaned into the door of their Algebra class, holding the door open for her.

"It's not really beach weather here." Tricia mumbled nervously. Adam followed her to her seat, setting her books down he settled himself next to her.

"Yeah, this isn't exactly the sunny California they show in all those movies and commercials." Adam nodded thoughtfully.

"No. That's more the southern part of the state. We get real seasons, or more seasons up here." Tricia laughed loosening up a bit.

The two young people spent most of their math period talking to each other. Tricia become more comfortable as each minute of the class passed. By the time the period bell rang, Adam had suggested they hang out that weekend and she had happily agreed before running off to her next class without him. Adam slipped into a nearby empty classroom where he shimmered out of sight.

Adam appeared in the middle of the room next to the billiards. Anka was standing near the table, starring into a full-length mirror as she snapped her fingers changing the outfits she was sporting. There was a mustang sitting in the middle of the room in place of where the media center usually lay, two black sneakers were poking out from underneath it.

"Is it time?" She twirled around and clapped her hands.

"Javin told me to tell you when I've soften my target." Adam shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh!" Anka jumped up and down. "Can I go to Wyatt first?" She asked loudly. Kron rolled out from underneath the mustang, rubbing his dirty hands against the dark gray material of his pants.

"Well I could work well with Chris." Kron nodded.

"I have to get back, I'm missing my…" Adam rummaged his pocket for a crumbled piece of paper. "My history course." He rolled his eyes as he read the schedule in his hand.

"Oh history, I love history classes." Anka smiled brightly.

"That's because it's like reading your diary." Kron laughed.

"Only sometimes. Sometimes it talks of the old men, and I had nothing to do with any of them. Some of their sons maybe…" Anka giggled looking dreamily into the mirror for a second. She snapped a pre-antebellum dress on, admiring the handiwork of the bodice before snapping her fingers again. She was dressed in a corset black top and a jean mini skirt; Adam was shaking his head behind her.

"It's pouring outside, that outfit isn't enough clothing." He commented before shimmering out again. Kron laughed.

"He is right darling. You would be cold." Kron snapped his own fingers to change his clothing into jeans and a lain long sleeve white shirt.

"I hate rain." Anka wrinkled her nose before snapping her fingers again. She remained in the mini skirt, but added leggings and knee high furry boots. The corset top changed into a swooping boat neck sweater and she smiled at her reflection.

"Time to play." Kron smiled at her and she nodded. The two dissolved into bouncing lights and appeared as shadows at George Washington High School. It was a passing period when the two appeared in the middle of a crowded hallway. Wyatt was walking next to Patience and the two seemed to be involved in a heated argument.

"Leave me alone Wyatt." Patience mumbled again.

"He is bad news Patience. And I have to go to this quick meeting after school and I need to know you're not going to get into trouble." Wyatt responded.

"You mean you want to know I'm not going to go home with Dervin." Patience moaned back.

"Yes that's exactly what I mean, now I need you to promise." Wyatt sighed.

"What's wrong, Chris isn't going to baby-sit me?" Patience responded sarcastically.

"He might…" Wyatt shrugged.

"Are you two fighting again?" Patience demanded.

"That's not what we're talking about…" Wyatt responded.

"You are, what did you do to him now?" Patience demanded.

"Why do you two always blame me?" Wyatt threw let out an angry growl.

"Because you have a pretty big ego that makes you think you're god." Patience rolled her eyes at him.

"You know what Patience, I'm not asking you anymore. Stay away from Dervin. Meet me at the car after school at 3:15 sharp." Wyatt gave her a warning look before ducking into his classroom. Patience glared after him but kept walking down the hallway. Anka walked through the wall of the classroom that Wyatt entered and Kron wandered floating above the teenagers' heads in search of Chris. The class bell rang and the hallways emptied out but Kron found Chris lounging in a nook outside of the library waiting. Chris was trying to blend into his surroundings, patiently waiting and barley moving. Kron watched him intrigued by what would happen next.

A few minutes passed where nothing happened, no one entered the halls and the only noise heard was a low murmuring of voices from behind closed doors. Kron sat on top of the lockers of the hallway, completely invisible taking in the vibrant youth coming from every direction and still focusing intently on Chris. Chris stood perfectly still only his green eyes gave away his anxiety. Suddenly the library door flew open and the young Henry stepped out into the hall. Chris moved quickly grabbing the neck of his cousin's shirt and pulling him against the wall.

"What the…" Henry yelped but Chris covered his mouth.

"Shush would you. You're going to get us caught." Chris whispered harshly.

"What is going on?" Henry whispered back looking weary already.

"I found the white lighters that got away from Wyatt and I yesterday. I'm going to after them, but I want you to cover in case I'm not back in time to drive home with you guys." Chris commented.

"How did you find them?" Henry's eyebrows perked up questioningly.

"My phone can scry. I did this thing with the GPS already on there and some magical advancements that I figured out with one of the kids at magic school…" Chris explained as he pulled out his cell phone.

"But you shouldn't be going alone, why are you going alone?" HJ whisper was heavy with worry.

"Wyatt thinks that it's my fault they got away, so I'm going to prove I can do this without him." Chris said back angrily.

"You two are fighting again?" HJ sighed. It seemed that Chris and Wyatt were always fighting these days.

"Henry, I didn't pull you out here to explain my plan or talk about Wyatt." Chris spat. "Just cover for me with him?"

"He's going to freak out. And what if something happens to you?" HJ said unsure.

"It won't. Besides I'll call for help if something happens. Promise." Chris patted his cousin on the shoulder before looking up and down the hallway. Before HJ could object anymore to the reckless plan, Chris orbed away.

"He's barely going to even need my help to influence him." Kron laughed to himself as he dissolved into his own lights. HJ shivered as he mumbled to himself that everything would be alright.

Chris appeared in a dark alley outside of a warehouse out by the pier. His brown hair stuck to his forehead as the rain fell steadily onto his head.

"Stupid rain." He mumbled to himself before using his jacket as a protective cover for his phone. He pulled out his cell phone to look at the coordinates of where his dark lighters were again. He stared intently at the little screen, wiping droplets of water from his face as he focused.

"It's here, but I think maybe it's inside?" He whispered to himself. He slipped his phone back into his jean pocket and pulled up his sweatshirt's hood. He held out his hands in front of him and closed his eyes, little sparks started to emit from his fingers but keep fizzling out. Kron studied him from a few steps away, still invisible for a few minutes of failed attempts. After the fourth time, Kron stepped closer to Chris and leaned into his ear.

"If Wyatt we're here, he would have already been able to use his powers to knock down that door." Kron whispered. Chris shifted his body weight angrily and rolled his shoulders before trying again. The sparks went a bit further this time, almost hitting the door.

"I know you can do better than that, you're a charmed child after all. Do something that proves the power you came from." Kron whispered into his ear. Again the sparks went a bit further but still did not go far enough.

"No wonder Wyatt always has to come with his little brother." Kron mocked. That did it, Chris growled and bolts of lighting came from his fingers and shattered the door into the warehouse. Kron nodded approvingly and Chris stormed into the warehouse. His initial blast took out one of three dark lighters that were in the warehouse but when he walked in the other two were already shooting arrows at him. Chris ducked and rolled away from the flying arrows, being nearly hit several times before he could stand back up. Waving his hand he sent the two dark lighters flying into the nearby walls. Both dropped their bows onto the ground giving Chris the upper hand.

"Stop coming after my family!" Chris shouted at the dark lighter closest to him lifting up his hands and trying to use his new power. Again the sparks came short of actually hitting the dark lighter. Chris took a deep breath and closed his eyes, it took a few minutes but finally the sparks built up enough power to reach the dark lighter. Kron noticed that the second dark lighter had gotten back to his feet and was reaching for his bow.

"Look behind you," Kron warned Chris. The blast that had hit the first dark lighter had deeply wounded him but hadn't been enough to vanquish him. But Chris had to flip around just in time to see an arrow coming at his head. Chris threw himself on the ground and looked around him searching for an answer on how to attack next. He saw that the first dark lighter's bow was still on the ground with an unused around, stealing a glance at the severely injured dark lighter he magically waved the weapons to himself. Just as he was going to try and shoot the arrow the dark lighter that was attacking him blew up into pieces.

Chris got paled, he recognize that explosion. He started crawling towards the stacks of crate boxes, trying to keep low to the ground. Kron dissolved into the light when the charmed ones arrived on the scene.

"Christopher Perry Halliwell," Piper was standing over her son scowling. Chris rolled over to be on his back and look up at his mother.

"Hi Mom," He smiled laughing nervously. He pushed himself up with his elbows and jumped up to his feet.

"They are all gone Piper." Phoebe came out from behind a stack of crates. Her eyes widen in surprise at the sight of her nephew.

"Chris?" Phoebe said.

"Hey Aunt Phoebe." Chris gave her a little wave. Paige orbed in next to Piper.

"The other one got away." She stated looking around once. "What is Chris doing here?" She asked Piper.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked even though she knew what the answer was going to be. Chris rubbed the back of his neck nervously looking at his aunt Phoebe hoping she might feel his anxiety and save him from having to explain himself. He found himself focusing on his mother and aunts attire, trying not to smile at how the charmed ones still wore they best to each vanquish. It was a habit that the girls had never grown out of and even today Phoebe was still in high heels and Paige was wearing a top that was going to have to be dry cleaned. Chris knew that he and his cousins would be the same way, there was something about fitting in a demon vanquish between work meetings and deadlines that was just very charmed.

"Christopher?" Piper said after a few minutes of silence. He blinked before glancing up at his mother.

"I came after the dark lighters." Chris croaked in barely a whisper.

"You did what?" Paige stared at him astounded. Phoebe was shaking her head and Chris swallowed trying to dampen his dry mouth before speaking again.

"I tried to come after the dark lighters. They are part of the group that we went after yesterday." Chris said louder as he stared at his mother's shoes.

"You came alone?" Paige demanded.

"After you almost got yourself killed yesterday with your brother. After I specifically told you no more magic for chasing demons?" Piper was furious. Chris just nodded still not looking at his mother.

"Chris honey, you could have gotten yourself killed." Phoebe whispered. The very idea of her nephew dying made her go pale.

Piper stepped up onto her tiptoes and grabbed her son's left ear in a pinch.

"We are binding your powers the moment we get back to the manor. Wait until your father hears about this…" Piper started as she pulled him out of the warehouse. The night before Piper and Leo had warned the boys that they were being trusted not to use their powers without having to bind them. It was a test in maturity and responsibility for the two teens and Leo had convinced Piper it was time to start loosening their leashes. Piper was silently cursing her husband as she dragged her almost adult son out to her car.

"Ow, mom… I can walk…" Chris tried to pull himself out of his mother's grasp without success. She pulled him all the way to her car and only let go when she pulled open the car door. Chris climbed into the backseat and Piper pulled the seatbelt over him and started to buckle him in.

"Mom, I can do my own…" Chris started but one look from his mother and he held his tongue. Piper slammed his door and was raving about her sons and how they thought they were indestructible as she moved to the driver's side. Paige got in next to Chris and looked disapprovingly at him before she started to examine his arm.

"Did you get hurt?" Paige asked.

"Paige don't you dare heal him." Piper warned as she slammed her own door.

"He's a little scratched up." Paige commented.

"Let that teach him to go off and fight demons by himself. Trying to get himself killed." Piper kept mumbling under her breath. Chris sat silently starring at his hands for a few minutes, fidgeting uncomfortably as his mother pulled out of the dock area of San Francisco.

"How'd you guys know?" Chris finally whispered.

"We didn't." Paige shrugged. "Not that you were there anyway."

"We were coming after the dark lighter gang that you guys told us about yesterday. We were going to take care of them." Phoebe shook her head.

"You were just lucky young man that we came along. Why! Why would you think of coming by yourself to finish off dark lighters? Did you forget that you're part white lighter? Did you forget that yesterday they almost finished off Wyatt?" Piper shouted at him.

"No Ma'am." Chris whispered.

"Didn't you think we would take care of them?" Phoebe turned to face Chris.

"I didn't think about it," Chris sighed.

"That's you're problem. You and Wyatt don't take a moment to stop and think. You are grounded for the next month! No magic, no driving, no going out with friends." Piper was speeding towards the manor. "And wait until I get my hands on Wyatt, letting you come out here all by yourself."

"Wyatt didn't know mom…" Chris shut his eyes not wanting to see her expression. Paige let out a low whistle. Piper stepped on the brake suddenly.

"You didn't tell you're brother you were going after demons?" She glared at him. Without opening his eyes, Chris shook his head.

"Why?" Piper demanded.

"He thinks it was my fault they got away yesterday, I wanted to prove him wrong." Chris was sudden aware of how childish that idea was.

"Christopher," Piper's voice soften and the car jolted back into motion.

"Did you tell anyone where you were going?" She sighed.

"I let HJ know." Chris nodded.

"And he didn't try to stop you?" Paige frowned.

"He didn't think it was a good idea." Chris shrugged.

"My fourteen year old nephew has better sense than my sixteen year old son, how comforting." Piper said sarcastically.

"Henry really needs to learn when to share information." Paige was frowning as her thoughts went to this morning and her daughter's invisible leg. Piper pulled up to the manor, angrily pulled out her keys and jumped out of the car. Phoebe opened an umbrella and hopped out of the car, she handed the umbrella to Chris as she wrapped an arm around his waist.

"You have to learn to be less reckless." She sighed.

"Yes ma'am." Chris said miserably as he held the umbrella carefully over his aunt's head. Paige and Piper ran into the manor trying to stay as dry.

"Attic, march." Piper commanded as Chris closed the wet umbrella.

"Do you really…" Chris looked up his green eyes begging.

"Christopher Perry you almost got yourself killed. Yes, I really do." Piper nodded and pointed up the stairs.

"Can we do this quick, I have to get to magic school." Paige mumbled as she followed Chris upstairs.

"And I have a deadline." Phoebe nodded.

Chris slowed his pace angry and miserable. He didn't understand how his aunts could be so candid when they were about to strip him of his powers. Chris really hated it when his active powers were bound. It always made him feel like he had lost a part of himself. The sixteen year old stood in the middle of the very crowded attic with his shoulders hunched up and his hands balled up into fists pushed into his sweatshirt. He was desperately trying to ignore the throbbing ache of his right elbow.

The Book of Shadows hadn't moved in the last twenty years. Well, aside from a few demon kidnappings and curious kids carrying it off. But the magical heritage of the family still sat prestigiously on near the bay windows and Chris was convinced that the floorboards were worn down in three places. The sisters always seemed to stand in the same places around the book and the wood seemed more aged in those three spots than the rest of the attic, or so he thought. Chris was an avid studier of the book, though his parents weren't aware how much time he really spent with it. Late at nights the boy would sneak up to the attic to read through spells and notations in the book, out of the all the cousins he was the one who had spent the most time with the powerful heirloom. He had been trying to figure out how to make a portable book of shadows, much like his cell phone GPS system but he had yet to mention to anyone. He was afraid his mother and his aunts would not understand, but Chris knew that one day with nine charmed children it was going to be difficult to share the book. But that was a problem for his generation and he was determined to figure it out without their help.

Paige flipped through the book of shadows for the spell and Piper glared at Chris with her arms crossed. Phoebe nudged her older sister.

"Are you going to make sure he understands?" Phoebe whispered.

"He's almost an adult, I shouldn't have to explain what he did was wrong." Piper gritted her teeth.

"Piper," Phoebe nudged her again.

"Oh, all right." Piper sighed back as she walked back up to her son. As she walked towards the sad boy she remembered him much younger. Chris had been a short eleven-year-old boy the first time Piper had bound his powers. It had broken Piper's heart but she had been ignoring her middle child's magical tantrums until that moment when he had pushed her too far. She knew that sometimes she was too easy on him, Chris got away with more than Piper tolerated from Wyatt and she knew it. Wyatt had to be responsible for his little brother and his baby sister though. And Piper was tough on him because she knew he had to understand that responsibility. Her Wyatt was destined to be the master of Excalibur and she always feared he was too easily swayed to the evil to not be tough on him. But Chris, her peanut, he was different and maybe it was because her heart still ached for her twenty-two year old son from a different future. Despite all these years and how much everything had changed from that future, sometimes Piper worried she still saw some of the old Chris in her own son.

"Christopher." Piper sighed. He looked up trying to look sad and innocent. She shook her head at him though before continuing.

"You understand that you're being reckless and irresponsible? And that you're lack of judgment with your own powers makes me think you need some time to understand that power is meant to be used responsibly?" Piper stated.

"Yes ma'am." Chris sighed.

"And you know that if anything ever happened to you…" Piper couldn't even finish the thought before choking a bit.

"Mom, I never meant to… You know I just wasn't thinking." Chris shrugged and smiled trying to comfort his mother. Piper pushed some of Chris' brown hair from his forehead.

"Maybe you'll remember to think next time?" She winked at him before she walked back to stand next to Paige. The three said the spell, almost in one voice, soothing Chris' nerves as he could feel his powers being suppressed. As the spell finished, Chris could feel his phone vibrate in his back pocket. He pulled it out and groaned loudly when he saw who it was. Chris pressed the ignore button and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Piper watched him and smiled slightly when she realized who was calling. She took out her own phone and pressed 3 and pressed the receiver up to her ear.

"Mom! There is something wrong with Chris," Wyatt said frantically into the phone.

"Sweetheart, he's right here. I've got him." Piper responded. Chris was glaring at his mother from across the room.

"HJ said he went after the dark lighters! And I just felt like something went dark, sort of how it feels when…" Wyatt stopped mid sentence. He suddenly understand where the empty feeling in his stomach had come from, he recognized it now as the binding of active powers. Wyatt had a knack for feeling how much power was in his family, particularly his siblings, so whenever something happened to those powers he could feel it.

"I'm going to kill him." Wyatt grumbled into the phone.

"You will do no such thing. I'm going to leave your brother home, but I'm locking the attic. No spells while I'm not home. I have to head back to the restaurant and your aunts have to head to work too." Piper was saying.

"I'll baby sit the kid mom." Wyatt said loudly, hoping his younger brother could hear the phrase. Chris scowled at his mother but didn't say anything.

"Just make sure you both stay, get your homework done. And do not get into a fight." Piper warned.

"Tell him that I'll be by to take Henry to magic school for the lecture." Paige commented before disappearing into an orb of white lights.

"Coop will be by to pick up Patience, after he gets Primrose. It's his turn with the carpool." Phoebe nodded.

"You heard all that?" Piper asked.

"Yup." Wyatt responded.

"Be good." Piper said before snapping the phone shut. Phoebe hurried out of the attic and was fixing her make-up in the upstairs bathroom as Chris trudged passed the door with his mother. Piper had locked the attic behind her and was now leaving instructions with Chris.

"And don't even think about asking Wyatt to put you in a dangerous situation so that you can get your powers back, understood?" Piper wagged her finger at him.

"Mom, we only did that once." Chris sighed. Well once that she knew of, he thought more to himself.

"There are snacks in the kitchen, please be good." Piper kissed her son on the cheek and hurried down the stairs.

"Let's go Phoebe!" She hollered. Phoebe came running out of the bathroom, looking refreshed once again. She winked at Chris and disappeared down the hallway. Chris rubbed his elbow wincing as he turned to walk into his room. He hoped that after Wyatt finished yelling he would at least heal his arm.


	5. Twice Blessed

**Twice Blessed **

Wyatt Halliwell stormed into the manor, dropping his backpack and jacket on the floor before racing up the stairs. The tall youth tried to steady his breathing, attempting to check his anger as he held his white hand over the doorknob to his younger brother's room. But the Halliwell brothers had two things in common a lack of patience and quick tempers.

The old wooden door flung open, the light of the hallway pouring into the dark space. Wyatt's resolve broke a little when he saw his younger brother lying face down on his full sized bed. Chris was holding a dark blue pillow over his head, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the fabric tightly. With the storm raging outside, the closed blinds didn't really keep out any light so much as hold in the darkness. Wyatt stared at the floating bookshelves above Chris' buried head, debating causing a few books to fall on his stubborn little brother's head.

"Are you crazy? Of all the stupid stunts!" Wyatt shouted. Though the words didn't come out as angry as he planned. He strode into the room and forcefully pulled the pillow off of Chris' head. Chris carefully flipped his body around to stare at his towering older brother. Wyatt would have kept going on his rant if he hadn't noticed how carefully Chris turned around.

"Are you hurt?" Wyatt grabbed Chris chin and turned it carefully in his right hand, while running his left hand through his messy brown hair.

"No, Mum wouldn't leave him hurt!" Henry stood in the doorframe craning his look to try to get a better look in the shadows at his cousin. Patience was leaning against the wall behind Henry and she chuckled loudly.

"With how mad Aunt Piper was, I'm sure if it wasn't fatal she left him hurt. And we all know aunt and mom would never cross Piper," Patience rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she didn't care about the situation at hand, by her standards Chris was not usually this stupid. And usually she would have given him a piece of her mind. But she was frustrated with everyone not letting her see Dervin and Wyatt had literally dragged her to his car after school. Even with how worried he was about his brother, Wyatt had still managed to ruin her life for the afternoon.

"Where does it hurt?" Wyatt asked finding no wounds on his younger brother's face.

"You'll heal it?" Chris groaned.

"What do you think I'm going to do to it?" Wyatt demanded.

"I don't know, hit it to make some kind of point." Chris moaned.

"Not a bad idea little brother, but I think those demons beat you up enough. Unless you didn't learn any kind of lesson, you moron." Wyatt looked pointedly down at Chris.

"I could have handled them." Chris shut his eyes to avoid eye contact as he fought stubbornly.

"Really man?" Henry was shaking his head from the door. The young Mitchell had been reamed on the drive to the manor by Wyatt for not informing him of Chris' stupid plan. It was the last time that HJ covered for his cousins against each other, Wyatt had made sure that lesson had been learned with each harsh reality he presented.

"I could have," Chris crossed his arms and winced with pain as the pressure of his left arm fell on top of his right. Wyatt laughed as he grabbed the injured arm.

"I'm just as powerful as you are." Chris grumbled.

"No one is contesting that." Wyatt nodded thoughtfully as he placed his hand over the scraps and forming bruise. As the warm light started to heal the injury Wyatt shook his head.

"But even with both us, and let's not lie we're pretty freaking unstoppable, but even with both of us I almost got taken out yesterday. That was with your help, I would have never gone at it alone." Wyatt said earnestly. Though everyone in the room knew it was a lie, Wyatt often tried to take on more than he could handle because he was the twice blessed child and absurdly powerful. Wyatt tried to protect his cousins, his mother, and his aunts if he could and had been trying for years to Piper's dismay. She had tried to break him of the habit, but had yet to really get through to him.

"You were fine." Chris mumbled.

"Fine yeah, with that dark lighter arrow in me and everything. We're lucky that Henry was there to heal me." Wyatt nodded towards his cousin, still standing very still in the doorway. Healing was a touchy subject for Chris, for whatever reasons the teen could not master using that power yet. Leo had warned that he might be ready for it for quite a few years and that it had nothing to do with practice or lack of trying. It would happen when it was meant to happen.

"We're not fans of near death experiences." HJ sighed. Chris had meet death once, when he was seven he had almost drowned. It had been a surreal experience; the man warned Chris that being charmed they might meet a few times. Death had seemed friendly and genuinely worried about his family, Chris later discovered after studying the book that his mother had a very personal relationship with the angel of Death.

"Well maybe if you didn't always think it was my fault that the demons get away." Chris maintained his stubbornness. Patience stomped into the room at this point and smacked both brothers upside the head forcefully. Wyatt grabbed her wrist quickly and Chris glared at her.

"You!" She used the hand being held by Wyatt to wave at him. "Stop thinking you're the only one who knows how to handle yourself in a fight, if anyone has as much as experience as you it's this idiot."

And then she turned her burning brown eyes, slightly tinted with red at Chris' green. The two teens glared at each other before she continued.

"And you!" She raged. "Stop trying to prove yourself. No one thinks any less of you than they do of Wyatt, could you quit with the complex already. We need you two blockheads, and if anything ever happened to you it would destroy aunt Piper." Patience sighed as she wriggled her wrist away from Wyatt and situated herself in-between the two brothers on the bed. There was a heavy silence for a few minutes.

"Besides," Henry finally spoke. "As charmed children, I believe we're always going to be stronger in sets of three. So you might as well get use to the idea."

A pair of blue, green and brown eyes all settled on Henry, unblinking and surprised.

"What?" He demanded.

"Why do you think that?" Wyatt asked.

"It has to be true, think about it? Our family line…" Henry started.

"He's right, Melinda Warren said that our family would grow in power with each generation, cumulating in the arrival of the charmed ones. The most powerful witches the world had ever seen. Three witches. So as the children of the charmed ones, to keep being the most powerful we would have to work in groups of three like our mothers did…" Chris nodded to himself, speaking his thoughts out loud.

"But I'm the twice blessed…" Wyatt started to protest.

"We know Wyatt!" Chris shoved his brother's shoulder.

"Believe me we know." Patience rolled her eyes. "But what you said earlier is true, you're much stronger with Chris."

"Which can only mean that imagine the power when you add Melinda?" Henry wondered.

"But even when I fight with them…" Patience stated slowly, confused.

"Maybe we don't have to be siblings? Isn't there something about how Mom and the Aunts defeated the hallow with the help of Grandma and Great Grams?" Wyatt said starring at Chris. Chris was the resident expert on the family history, having spent so much time studying the book had that benefit.

"Yeah," Chris was nodding. "There's no way we can truly know how it works, until we've all matured into our powers though. And Prim still hasn't even shown signs of having active powers."  
"But she will." Patience snapped defensively.

"We know Pat." Wyatt rubbed his hand over her shoulder.

"Can you stop trying to get yourself killed?" Patience demanded, turning her gaze to Chris once again.

"Can you stop running off to date a hooligan?" Chris spat back.

"Can both of you stop trying to drive me crazy?" Wyatt inserted as he stood up flicked his index finger, causing the lights to turn on.

"Who I date has nothing to do with either of you." Patience annoyingly responded. She stood up, tugging her hip hugging jeans up a bit as she stomped out of the room.

"It does when we beat him up!" Chris shouted after her.

"Mum is calling me to magic school," Henry was looking around cautiously.

"Go on, but straight there." Wyatt said sternly. Henry smiled revealing sparking white teeth and held up his right hand.

"Scout's honor," He said as he disappeared into his white orbs. Wyatt turned on his brother again and threw his arm around his neck.

"No more solo hunts?" Wyatt demanded as he held the mass of brown hair tightly against his chest.

"I'm just as good as you…" Chris was mumbling into Wyatt's gray shirt.

"You're my quarterback little bro. I can't play the game without my quarterback, so no more solo hunts?" Wyatt tighten his grip as he asked again.

"Fine, fine!" Chris surrendered his agreement.

"All right quarterback, go get Patience to stop dating this guy. I'm going to make a pizza." Wyatt walked out of the room. Chris glared after him a second before flopping himself back down on the bed and shutting his eyes. He was so tired that he fell asleep before he realized what was happening.

"I am going to go watch Wyatt for a little while, I think I'm going to appear in his dreams. Oh, They are delicious." Anka giggled as she skipped over to the framed pictures on the wall of the stairs and dissolved out of sight.

"Yes, all of them." Kron said lovingly starring down at Patience. Kron's white arms were hanging over the banister and his blue eyes followed the wisps of brown hair that fluttered around Patience's face.

Patience ran her fingers through her hair while impatiently tapping on her phone. Her brown hair was stacked neatly on her head, in a classically messy ponytail that was one of her staples. White light flooded into the parlor room seconds before the rumbling thunder shook the room. Patience scrunched up her nose in disgust at the window, she hated lightening. As the grandfather clock in the foyer chimed, Patience let out a frustrated sigh and threw her cell phone towards her feet. She swept up the throw blanket and started pacing around the room. Stealing glances back at her silent cell phone every few seconds, willing it to show signs of life.

She started to bite her nails impatiently, clipping away at her fancy French tips.

"Damn it, call." She started whispering wishes, like any normal teen. The difference was that Patience Halliwell was not a normal teen and the impulsive chant created a bit of a spell. As she squeezed her eyes shut, a high pitch pop song sent her teenage body flying towards the couch.

"Hello?" Patience breathed into the phone.

"Feel like walking in the rain?" Dervin's voice teased into her ear.

"It depends on how far I have to walk." Patience giggled.

"I'm at our spot, so not too far. But you're cousins are all distracted?" Dervin sounded distressed.

"Yeah, be there in a second." Patience whispered into the phone. She snapped her phone shut and tip toed into the foyer. She snapped her eyes shut and concentrated on her breathing for a moment, her ability to sense loved ones was not as developed as her sister's. Patience could hear two heartbeats, she definitely knew that Chris was still upstairs but Wyatt was closer. She stood in the foyer weighing her options of escape, teetering on the balls of her feet impatiently without a plan. Again her desire for a distraction seemed powered by magic as a flash of lightening made her smile. As the thunder bounced off the walls, Patience bolted out the front door unnoticed.

She sprinted down the steps in front of the house, not bothering to protect herself from the storm. By the time she reached the corner of the block where an old mustang sat, she had droplets of water dripping from the tips of her hair and her nose. Standing in the rain, she blinked water out of her eyes as she stared intently at the blue eyes inside the car. Instead of hurrying into the car though, Patience threw her out to either side and turned her face up to the sky. With her eyes closed, she let the water soak further and further into her clothing.

"Did you feel like bathing in rain water?" Dervin shouted at her as he stepped out of his car, holding his jacket over his head. His white freckled hand grabbed one of Patience's spinning arms and pulled her towards the car. He threw his jacket over her and used the fabric to pull her towards him, as he leaned against passenger door.

"You're all wet." Patience placed both her hands on his chest.

"Because you're completely dry." Dervin laughed slightly moving his jacket allowing a few drops of rain to break through. He dropped the right side of his jacket, letting it fall onto Patience's shoulders, as he ran his hand through her hair.

"You abandoned me after school…" Dervin accused.

"Stupid Wyatt was watching me like a hawk. He basically dragged me to the car." Patience frowned as she started to shiver. Dervin wrapped his right arm around her waist and used his left slyly to open the passenger door. He pulled them both into the car, his torso landing on the middle console. Patience giggled as Dervin wriggled out from underneath her, using his foot to pull the passenger door closed. Dervin threw his damp jacket into the backseat and flipped his key while adjusting the heat.

"They're never going to like me." Dervin finally said after they had warmed up a bit.

"It's not about them." Patience shrugged.

"You like me because I'm trouble." Dervin mocked as he slipped his hand over hers.

"You like me cause I look like a cheerleader but am not as peppy." Patience batted her eyelashes at him and smiled. Dervin winked at her before leaning in for a kiss.

"I'm like a football player, all the good looks without the cocky attitude." Dervin whispered as he kissed her neck.

"Almost the A list couple, without all the A…" Patience giggled as she nudged his chin a bit. Her teeth chattering as her clothing clung to her body, and the heat didn't come at her fast enough. Dervin started to rub his hands up on down her arms, as an annoying high pitch pop song started sounding.

"They're already looking for you…" Dervin shook his head. The Halliwells were the most involved cousins that he had ever met. It seemed a miracle that Patience didn't have an older brother, because it seemed unlikely that anyone could be more over protective than Wyatt and Chris.

"Let them look." Patience didn't even try to reach for the cell phone. After a few minutes, there was a tapping at the window.

"This is going to be a habit." Dervin grumbled as he pulled away from Patience, expecting to see Chris standing outside the window.

"Ignore it." Patience sighed.

"Ignore the beautiful woman outside the window that looks quite a bit like you will in like twenty years." Dervin smiled at the woman. Patience flipped around quickly and saw her mother holding an umbrella and waving at her.

"Oh my god, my mother." Patience covered her face with her hands. Dervin shook with laughter as he watched Patience mumble to herself and try to pace her breathing. Patience's phone rang again and this time stole a glance down at it. She gritted her teeth as she snapped her phone up to her ear.

"What?" She growled.

"Is she standing outside your window?" Wyatt mocked into the receiver.

"You did this!" Patience growled into the phone.

"I called you to warn you, you didn't answer. Hopefully you still have your clothes on," Wyatt spat angrily.

"That is none of your business Wyatt Halliwell." Patience snapped the phone shut. Phoebe was starring at her daughter expectantly.

"She's a lot prettier than your cousin Chris." Dervin commented.

"Shut up, I'm going to go get killed…" Patience groaned as she jumped out of the car.

"Hi Mom," Patience said cheerfully. As she slammed the door behind her, she could hear a little cheer from Dervin.

"Little Patience Halliwell doesn't listen all too well…"

"Hello Patience." Phoebe was shaking her head.

"Really that guy?" Came a voice from behind Patience, a familiar male voice. Patience twisted her head around like a scared bunny caught in the taillights. Dark hair glistening with droplets of water was peeking out from behind the mustang. Then as if in slow motion, the tall good-looking man from the night before was starring right at Patience.

"What are you doing here?" Patience demanded.

"Well I'm your mother and I distinctly remember forbidding you from seeing this boy." Phoebe responded but Patience didn't turn around.

"You can still see me?" The man asked. Patience nodded.

"Patience, what are you looking at?" Phoebe had moved the umbrella to cover her daughter as well.

"Nothing," Patience whispered as she pried her eyes away from the mysterious man's face.

"I would at least think you have the sense to have a coat on. You're soaked." Phoebe started ranting as she placed a strong arm her teenager's shoulders.

"Love doesn't make any sense." Patience quirked.

"Don't use that Cupid nonsense on me." Phoebe sighed as she pushed Patience into the manor.

"Hey cuz." Wyatt cheered Patience with his pizza. He was sitting on the stairs, with a tray of pizza on his lap and a smug smile. If looks could kill Wyatt would have dropped dead on those stairs.

"You told my mother!" Patience growled. Wyatt shoved a mouthful of pizza into his mouth and just nodded.

"I had called Wyatt, to check on Chris." Phoebe commented as she wandered out of the foyer towards the guest restroom.

"We were talking and I walked in here and you weren't here…" Wyatt shook his head. His long golden locks swayed over forehead and his blue eyes sparkled angrily.

"Did you inspect the entire house?" Patience asked scathingly.

"Such a good looking boy, did you know that Piper was invincible when she was pregnant with him?" The man from outside was leaning against the banister watching Wyatt eat his pizza.

"Maybe I did." Wyatt commented back after swallowing.

"Are you jealous because you can't get yourself a date?" Patience's teeth started chattering again. Wyatt rolled his eyes and stood up and removed his sweatshirt and threw it at his cousin.

"Stop freezing to death would you? And you don't know anything about my love life." Wyatt sighed as he leaned right over where the mysterious man was standing.

"Why am I the only one who can see you?" Patience gritted her teeth as she slipped the sweatshirt over her head.

"I think everyone can see me, I'm amazingly good looking." Wyatt smiled.

"Who would have thought Leo and Piper would have such a confident kid." The man laughed.

"Would you care to explain how you lost my daughter Wyatt?" Phoebe asked as she walked back in carrying a towel. She started to slowly pat dry Patience's ponytail.

"I lost her cute monkey leash." Wyatt shrugged. "Besides, Chris was suppose to deal with her criminal boyfriend problem."

"Deal with my criminal boyfriend?" Patience screeched.

"They have a point, that boy is bad news." The man commented.

"Wyatt, he's not her boyfriend." Phoebe patted down on Patience's shoulders a slight bit harder than she meant to.

"Melinda should find a boyfriend." Patience mumbled.

"She's not seeing anyone?" Wyatt asked defensively.

"Eat your pizza." Patience rolled her eyes.

"No really, is she seeing someone? Do you know something? Does Chris know? Is he keeping it from me? If he is keeping more things from me I'm going to beat him up…" Wyatt started rambling.

"Wy!!" Patience threw her hands up.

As the grandfather clock chimed a few times, signaling that five o'clock had arrived. The front door swung open and Coop scooped Primrose out of his jacket and set her down. Patience turned to smile at her father and youngest sister and by the time she focused her attention back on Wyatt, the mysterious man had vanished.

"Phoebe?" Coop said startled.

"Mommy!" Primrose slammed her little body into Phoebe's legs.

"Oh hello lady bug." Phoebe petted the top of her pink fluffy coat.

"I thought we were picking you up…" Coop said confused as he bent down and kissed his wife's forehead.

"The mice were playing," Phoebe looked pointedly at Patience and Wyatt.

"We're you being naughty Wyatt?" Primrose pouted and threw her hands on her hips.

"I am part angel, I can't possibly be naughty." Wyatt winked at her. Primrose started giggling uncontrollably.

"Aren't you grounded?" Coop questioned. Wyatt shrugged.

"Even angels trip up sometimes."

"Angelic, yes. I have to get back to work, but I don't want to leave you kids here alone. I am starting to think we should look into finding babysitters again." Phoebe rubbed her forehead, trying to reduce the building headache.

"I'm seventeen years old Aunt Phoebe, I hardly need a baby sitter. I'm coming of age in just a few weeks." Wyatt grinned.

"Maybe you should start acting like it." Phoebe snapped.

"Phoebe!" Coop starred down at his wife surprised.

"Mommy is cranky." Primrose stared up at Patience with accusing eyes.

"Patience?" Coop sighed.

"She ran out to see Dervin." Wyatt pointed out.

"The boy from the diary!" Primrose dramatically gasped.

"Wyatt didn't stop me!" Patience cried.

"Are you kidding?" Wyatt jumped to his feet.

"Stop this. Wyatt take your aunt back to work, I'll stay here with Patience." Coop put his hand on his daughter's neck.

"And Chris, don't let Chris get into any trouble." Phoebe added.

"Like get into the cookie jar?" Coop rolled his eyes. Coop had watched the Halliwell children often enough when they were young. Wyatt and Chris always managed to get into the cookie jar and eat every sweet in their apartment.

"Just don't let him out of the house." Phoebe sighed.

"Or up into the attic." Wyatt added as he grabbed his aunt and disappeared into white lights.

"Isn't it sweet that you're all grounded at the same time." Coop patted Patience's back.

"So sweet." Patience rolled her eyes. Primrose tugged on her father's jeans forcefully.

"Yes ladybug?" Coop asked.

"I'm hungry." She whined.

"Patience, do I need to put up a baby gate to keep you in the house?" Coop demanded.

"How do you and mom talk to each other without speaking!" Patience groaned.

"Years of practice mostly," Coop laughed as he walked to the door and twisted the lock.

"Daddy, you don't trust me?" Patience smiled innocently. Coop took a second looked at her intently and then picked up Primrose in one swoop.

"No go princess." Coop shook his head. "And remember cupids have pretty great hearing." He had Primrose over her shoulder as he walked towards the kitchen. Patience pulled her hands into the long sleeves of Wyatt's sweatshirt as she wandered back into the parlor, not willing to subject herself to snipping lectures from her father.

"What do you see in that hooligan as the boys calling him," The man had re-appeared and was looking over books nonchalantly.

"You! Who are you?' Patience went towards the mysterious man and trying to touch him, but her hand went right though his body.

"Just a resident wandering soul, you might say." He responded.

"But…" Patience started to argue but before you could finish her thought, the man had moved across the room. He almost moved with the air because it happened without Patience even noticing.

"You know I was here for this day," The man said starring at picture of Piper and Leo on their wedding day.

"Were you physically present for Aunt Piper's wedding or just a wandering spirit then too?" Patience said sarcastically. She threw herself onto the couch, deciding not to follow around this wispy soul.

"Maybe I should let you figure that out." He responded starring at her.

"You know you're really well dressed for a wandering spirit." Patience commented as she stared at his pressed pinstripe suit and white collared shirt.

"Do you know anything about wandering spirits, or are you just making assumptions?" He asked her.

"Who are you?" Patience slammed her hands onto her knees.

"Did you cast a spell?" He asked her evading her question. Patience widened her eyes as she stared at the ghost in front of her.

"Maybe…" Patience bit her bottom lip guiltily.

"Something about your mother's previous loves?" He nodded.

"How would you…?" Patience was at a lost for words.

"Magic works in mysterious ways." He shrugged.

"Are you," Patience blinked quickly, trying to figure out the spirits relationship to her mother with her cupid powers. But nothing came to her possibly because she did have the control Penelope did or because this man didn't physically exist.

"Am I?" He prompted.

"Are you one of her past loves?" Patience asked. "And why can I only see you? Why can't she? The spell was for my mother not for me."

"Magic works in mysterious ways. And being a Warren Witch, you really should learn about your past. Your mom and aunts figured that out the hard way." With that the man seemed to be swept up into the wind. Patience started grinning her teeth together as she squeezed her eyes shut in attempts to concentrate on finding the trails of love. Again not a power she had mastered, or even really attempted until that moment but all she could feel was the quickening heartbeat of Wyatt somewhere off in the distance.

Wyatt had orbed into Phoebe's office seconds before her boss Elise had stormed in raving about a deadline. Phoebe had done some fancy talking to explain why Wyatt had seemed to appear out of thin air and then pushed him out.

Walking into the elevator of the Chronicle's building he spotted her. The black boat neck sweater was clinging to her sculpted waistline in an unmistakable attractiveness. Wyatt nervously fidgeted near the number board for one floor until the rest the older businessman stepped up after going down one floor.

"Do you work here?" Anka asked seductively.

"No, no. My aunt does. Do you?" Wyatt stuttered a bit as he tried to focus on her face.

"I'm interning for the advertising department. Who's your aunt?' Anka shyly took a step towards Wyatt.

"Phoebe Halliwell." Wyatt nodded, pushing his toes into the ground and pushing off his heel to hurry along the closing in process.

"Oh for Ask Phoebe! I love her. I knew you looked to young to work here." As the elevator stopped on another floor, Anka calculating fell into Wyatt. He caught her effortlessly and the doors opened to find no one waiting.

"That's odd." Wyatt commented as he stared out into the empty hallway. He helped Anka to her feet and now the two were standing millimeters apart.

"Sometimes people are too impatient to wait and take the stairs." Anka shrugged, letting her arm brush against Wyatt's.

"So no, I'm a senior over at George Washington High School. What about you?" Wyatt clicked his tongue nervously.

"Oh, I'm a junior at George Washington." She exclaimed giddy.

"I've never seen you," Wyatt looked surprised.

"I was new at the start of the semester." She shrugged. "Haven't met too many people yet."

"Well, I could show you around town. You know if you wanted." Wyatt offered as the elevator opened the doors to the first floor.

"Well, you're like a knight sent to me." She flashed her brilliant smile that contrasted against her tanned skin.

"Oh I'm hardly a knight, I would love to take you out tonight but I'm sort of unavailable for a the next two weeks." Wyatt was kicking himself mentally for getting grounded.

"Grounded?" She smiled wickedly. Wyatt scrunched his nose up as he stepped out onto the ground floor.

"Was it obvious?" He asked trying to look like he didn't care. She giggled a bit, reaching towards her back pocket where she snapped her fingers and materialized a fancy cell phone.

"I knew that good boy look had to be a bit of a façade." She held up her phone. "Number?" She prompted.

Wyatt recited his number quickly and patted down his jeans looking for his phone. But Anka reached out and gripped his wrists a second before slipping her hands into his.

"Let me call you," She smiled. She pushed down on her toes and curled up to meet Wyatt's cheek.

"My name is Anka. And I'll call you." She whispered. She winked at him before flipping around and getting back on the elevator. Wyatt reached up to touch his cheek and looked after her trying to burn her image into his mind. Not wanting to waste more time in the building, he slipped behind a tall potted plant and orbed away.

Though he was suppose to go straight home, Wyatt had one more thing he wanted to check. He orbed into the Roosevelt Middle School Auditorium, behind one of the heavy curtains.

"To help a brother understand, make him unseen to all who stand." Wyatt whispered the spell. He stared out at the clustering groups of pre-teens and spotted his younger sister in seconds.

Melinda was laughing and pushing Adam. Trisha was leaning against Adam's legs as she stitched something together. The two cousins were cozy together with this boy that Wyatt had never seen before. He stepped out from behind the curtain a bit more to get a better look, try to identify this mysterious new character in his sister's and his cousin's life.

"You know Wy, if you're going to spy on us. You should make yourself invisible." Dora commented. Wyatt jumped back behind the curtain and looked down at the edge of the stage. His bright colored cousin was sitting on the ledge reading over a stapled script. She leaned back to laid her torso completely on the stage and be looking up at her tall cousin.

"I did!" Wyatt grumbled.

"Really? It must have been a pretty bad spell." Dora shook her head.

"Dora are you missing a leg?" Wyatt asked as he noticed the missing flesh between the end of her sock and the hem of her jeans that were scrunched up at her knee.

"Damn it." Dora sat up and spun her body around so she could use her feet to push herself up.

"Damn? Who you been hanging out with Pandora?" Wyatt frowned.

"I'm not six anymore Wyatt." She threw back at him as she stood. Her hazel eyes flipped up to glare at him but instead of glaring she looked confused.

"Wyatt?" She whispered.

"Yeah, Dora. I'm right here." Wyatt responded looking strangely at his cousin.

"You're invisible now." Dora punched into the air where she thought Wyatt had been standing.

"Ow." Wyatt grumbled as he took a step further back.

"That's weird." Dora commented as she shrugged her jeans down a bit to make them longer. She bent down to fix the hem and could see Wyatt's feet again.

"I can see you're feet." She commented and as she stood back up, " and nothing."

"Stupid literal magic." Wyatt was shaking his head.

"Bad spells can be prevented if you actually paid attention at Magic School once in a while." Dora rolled her eyes.

"And you're leg, care to explain red?" Wyatt demanded.

"There might have been a potion involved." Dora shrugged.

"Might have been?" Wyatt crossed his arms and tapped his foot though the stance was wasted because she couldn't see him.

"I sort of dropped the potion mum made last night on my leg because Tricia freaked me. See I was going to taste the potion, to try to figure out what was in it and well…" Dora rambled when she felt guilty.

"Pandora Mitchell, you were going to drink an unknown potion?" Wyatt said loudly.

"Shut up Wyatt." Dora gritted her teeth and started reciting her lines out loud to distract the cluster that had looked up from stage left.

"What am I going to do with all of you? If some of you just practiced some sense." Wyatt sighed.

"Can we skip the twice blessed lecture for now? You are the one sneaking in here to eaves drop and I might be mistaken but aren't you grounded?" Dora smiled as she flipped her hair.

"Who is he?" Wyatt pointed at the Adam. Now Melinda had her hand on his shoulder and he was left leg lying on top of Tricia's legs.

"Some new guy." Dora didn't even look up from her script.

"Pandora!" Wyatt whined.

"What?" She snapped.

"Who is he? And why are my sister and my cousin throwing themselves on him?" Wyatt demanded.

"I don't know Wyatt. Why don't you ask them?" Dora suggested.

"And where is Penelope?" Wyatt asked as he scanned the rest of the auditorium. Dora frowned and looked up then and scanned for her young cousin.

"I don't know," Dora said slowly. "She was working on scenery. You know painting is her thing, over there. But now…"

Wyatt grabbed Dora pulling her behind the curtain and orbed. The two smashed into a brick wall as Dora's weight shifted into Wyatt's body.

"What the hell?" Dora demanded.

"I'm seriously going to have to limit how much HBO you watch." Wyatt wrapped his hand over her mouth. Dora tried to bite his hand when they saw their youngest cousin. They could see Penelope's braid falling down her back, tucking itself into the flowery fabric lining the inside of her hood. She had her arms thrown around the neck of taller youth.

"Who is that?" Wyatt snapped at Dora.

"I don't know. She's sucking his face. I can't see it." Dora complained back.

"How do you not know who Penelope is making out with?" Wyatt angrily whispered back. At that point Penelope pulled away from her mystery kisser and snapped her head around. Her eyes were a violent pink. Wyatt pushed Pandora down so they wouldn't be seen.

"Wyatt?" Penelope whispered harshly still looking.

"What's wrong Pen?" The boy asked.

"No nothing. We better go inside before my cousins noticed. Besides it's cold out here." Penelope had refocused her attention to the black eyes of her kisser.

"Oh how rude of me, of course you're cold." He shrugged out of his coat and slipped it around her shoulders.

"Thanks Julian." She smiled warmly at him. Julian slipped his tanned hand into the nook of her back and guided her back into the building.

"I've never seen him before." Pandora shook her head.

"Are you in a relationship with some boy?" Wyatt demanded.

"If I was would I be standing outside with my invisible cousin in the rain?" Dora snapped back.

"I'm going to call your brother. He needs to watch you two, there is something going on." Wyatt started plotting.

"I'm going back inside. Don't follow me." Dora orbed away angrily.

"WYATT MATTHEW HALLIWELL." Piper was screaming into her son's head. Wyatt groaned he was in for another night of parental lectures.


	6. Double Toil

**Double Toil**

_A young woman dressed in white and red robes, slightly dirty and radiating confidence marched into a battlefield. She was mumbling in French to her companions, two boys who looked like her brothers. Suddenly a darker figure appeared sitting graciously with the woman on her horse. Rippling black hair fell over the hind part of the horse as caramel colored arms wrapped themselves around the white fabric of the woman's waist. The dark woman started whispering into the pale ear, all the while seemingly unnoticed. At that moment the brilliant green eyes of the darker figure snapped up and stared… _

A book had slammed onto the tiled floor of the classroom. Dora snapped up in full alert, her hazel eyes sparkling with attentiveness and her hands twitched defensively from underneath the desk.

"Did you have a nice nap Miss Mitchell?"

Dora tried slowing her breathing, as she carefully pulled out one of her hands to run through her hair. She smiled up at her math teacher attempting to look innocent.

"Sorry Ms. Warner," Dora mumbled. Ms. Warner shook her head disapprovingly as she bent down to pick up the French book that fallen.

"Maybe you can make up the work in detention this afternoon." Ms. Warner stated as she walked back up towards the front of the room as the bell rang. Dora clumsily collected her items and swung her backpack over her shoulder before shooting out of the room. In the hallway she squeezed her eyes shut and sucked in a large breath of air, concentrating on finding Tricia. Seconds later she was darting down the school hallway heading towards her twin sister.

A fluorescent pink headband made Tricia easy to detect in the hallway. Tricia's slender pale arm was laced carefully around Adam's bent elbow. A flirtatious giggle floated over the many heads of middle school students and Dora scowled recognizing her sister. The week had been a tiring time for the Mitchell Twins. It had started as a simple dispute, common sisterly bickering because Tricia had tired of Dora's constant use of magic. The small skirmish had escalated to an open battle about the attentions of Adam. Dora hated Adam and the loathing only became more prominent as she watched the blond godlike male flirt with her sister and her cousin. Tricia resented Dora and declared she was jealous and since then the twins had ignored each other completely. But now Dora needed to talk to her sister, magic demanded they put their differences aside who was she to argue. Pushing past a smaller sixth grader, Dora flicked at her sister's wrist.

"Tricia?" Dora whispered as she skipped up to be walking next to her sister. Tricia didn't respond to the familial presence, instead she kept focused on Adam.

"Tricia?" Dora attempted again. Adam slipped his arm around Tricia's waist and pulled the young teenage girl's body closer to his discreetly holding her attention. Dora frowned and took an impulsive swing at her sister's shoulder. The brunette twin lost her footing quickly and stumbled face first towards the ground in front of Adam. In a magically quick moment, Adam moved his books from his right hand to his left and caught Tricia gracefully.

Tricia glared at her twin with furry and the air in the hall became frosty. Icicles started to form around the edges of the lockers.

"What do you want?" Tricia spat the words angrily as Adam helped her back to her feet.

"I need to talk to you about something," Dora voice was heavy with hidden intent.

"Well what is it? We have to get to our next class." Tricia snapped as she slipped her hand into Adam's open palm. Dora's anger was starting to radiate around her, countering the intense cold that was threatening to engulf the two sisters.

"I can't, well it's about…" Dora stuttered.

"It can't be that important babe," Adam laughed as he threw his arm around Tricia's shoulders and started ushering her away.

"It's about a dream!" Dora shouted after them hoping the code would cue her twin to pay her more attention. Unfortunately for Dora all she got was a bunch of judging looks from scampering seventh graders that were late to class. The passing period bell rang and the hallway emptied of everyone but Dora.

"Damn it, just what I need another stupid detention. Unreasonable wench of a sister." Dora grumbled under her breath as she took off running towards her next class. Her footsteps echoed loudly down the hallway of the brick building. Reaching for the doorknob of room 116, Dora flicked her fingers angrily releasing sparks.

"I need to calm down before I blow up the school. Mum would kill me if that happened." Dora gritted her teeth as she tried to take a few deep breaths. In seconds she opened the door slowly, hoping to gain entry without being noticed.

"The great expansion westward had started back with the Louisiana Purchase. It was the first movement that truly brought us out of the eastern coast. Once the movement started, it didn't end until as a nation we reached the coast of California. Please explain what events lead up the joining of California in the union, please be sure to provide historical evidence from class notes. Yes that means you can use your notes, so I hope you've all been taking good notes." Mr. Hart's back was to the class as he wrote the in class essay prompt on the board. He as an older gentleman of average height with peppered white and gray hair. There was no mistaking Mr. Hart as anything but a teacher, or maybe a Liberian.

Dora skipped on the tips of her toes to an empty desk near the front of the room. She slipped her backpack carefully on the back of the chair and held her breath as she unzipped and pulled out her belongings.

"So nice of you to join us Ms. Mitchell. Since you enjoy late starts, you can wait to start your essay. Please step outside, you made me wait seven minutes so now you can wait seven minutes." Mr. Hart motioned towards the door. Dora gritted her teeth but didn't say a word as she trudged out back into the hallway. Leaning back against the wall, she threw her head back exasperated.

"I wouldn't have been late if it hadn't been for my stupid sister." She grumbled to no one in particular as she allowed her body to easy down into a sitting position. Before she knew what was happening, her eyes had closed and she was consumed by visions of distance pasts.

_On a wooden ship, underneath one of the large billowing white sails was a boy. He was no older than 12, though there was no baby fat in his cheeks and no innocence left in his eyes. The boy was standing atop of something on the ship making him only slightly taller than the dozens of other children on the deck. He was speaking, preaching to the rest of the group describing their duty to fight. There seemed to be no adult in sight on the sight, as the young boy spoke energetically about the cause. Suddenly the air rippled strangely above the boy and a muscular blond boy appeared sitting on the wooden mass invisible to the other children. The new character didn't look as if he had been on the ship as long as the others. Instead the new character had clean blond hair and his white skin almost sparkled in the daylight, his lips parted and revealed straight glistening white teeth as he smiled at the children below him. Suddenly he looked up and his blue eyes pierced into… _

"Ms. Mitchell?" Mr. Hart was frowning down at Dora. Dora automatically clenched her hands in fists as he eyes fluttered open.

"Pandora?" Mr. Hart said now more concerned.

"Yes, Mr. Hart. I'm coming, I'm sorry." Dora said slowly pushing her body up using only her feet. She was afraid to move her hands too much, it being the second time she had been startled awake today she could feel the magic coursing through her.

"Well hurry along then, you aren't going to have enough time." Mr. Hart held the door open for the young girl cordially. He smiled as he read her shirt; today's heather gray tank had a dinosaur outlined in white, with the words "remember me," scribbled underneath. Though her lips were pressed together, Dora managed to give her teacher a small smile in response as she sat down at her desk once again. Pulling out a piece of paper and a pen from her notebook, she read over the essay question on the board once more.

But no matter how many times she tried to read the essay question, or how prepared her pen was to write the answer Dora's attention was elsewhere. Dora was the only charmed cousin that had yet shown the ability to see into the past, but it wasn't a power that was very well developed. Actually the power of premonition seemed to be the lost talent among the cousins so far. Only the twins had shown any ability to see past or future and both girls only had visions come to them in sleep. It was true that neither twin had tried to train that particular power it seemed more worth it to focus on their truly active powers of fire and ice. But none of Piper or Phoebe's kids had yet to develop the gift of sight, though Leo suggested that one in each set of siblings had to develop the power.

The period bell rang and Dora was startled out of yet another dazed state. Looking down at her paper frantically to realize she had spent the last thirty minutes recreating her visions in drawings rather than answering the essay question. Not having anytime, she scribbled one sentence at the top of the paper.

"Manifest Destiny made us conquer from sea to shinning sea." And with that she wrote her name on it, collected her items and walked up to Mr. Hart's desk. The wise old eyes of the Mr. Hart stared intently at Pandora as she turned in her paper in a daze. The old man grabbed it before it was shuffled underneath the rest of the class.

"Ms. Mitchell a word," He said as his eyes traveled down to the series of drawings. Pandora bite down on her lower lip but stood still next to the desk as the rest of the students filed out sneaking her sympathetic or malicious looks.

"I am sorry that I was late today Mr. Hart, I didn't mean to I just got caught up with my sister in the hallway…" Dora started trying to explain.

"You know Ms. Mitchell you are one of the best students I've had at this middle school in years." Mr. Hart said suddenly. Dora's eyes widen in surprise, this was not where she expected the conversation to go. It was true that Dora had an inherit ability towards history. It might have something with her intense connection to the past because of her visions. But generally the class was her highest grade, without question.

"Thank you sir," She managed to stutter. Mr. Hart smiled but was shaking his head as he stared at her paper in his hand.

"And though this might count as the most concise answer about the expansion and is actually very clever." Mr. Hart laughed at the only thing Dora had written. "It is not an essay, and what are these drawings about?"

Dora fidgeted with the straps of her backpack, unable to come up with a valid answer. She puffed up her cheeks with air nervously and then opened and closed her mouth with no words.

"Was this Joan of Arc?" Mr. Hart asked suddenly, as he had been studying the drawings. Dora shifted her attention to the drawing of the girl on the horse.

"I think so…" Dora had gathered that much about the first vision she had. It had been Joan of Arc on the way to one of her battles, though Dora was sure that the darker girl who had appeared was not in any history book.

"And this, they look like they are from the crusades. But children, I've only read about legends concerning the children's crusade. In a recent history journal though there was some uncovered evidence that a young boy, Stephen De Cloyes did exist and he did lead the children's crusade. There was mention of them using ships…" Mr. Hart looked strangely up at Dora.

"I must have read the article, the image just came to me…" Dora's eyes were darting nervously towards the door. She hadn't known anything about this Stephen De Cloyes and what did he have to do with Joan of Arc. Better yet what did either of them have to do with the two figures that had suddenly appeared in both visions, and both of them had seemed to look right at her.

"Well, I can't let you make this up. Though, I might give you some points for the manifest destiny answer even though you were being cheeky." Mr. Hart raised his eyebrows at the girl warningly and she nodded quickly.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry. May I go to lunch now?" Dora asked desperate to get out of the room.

"Yes go on, I've heard you already got a detention today try to stay out of trouble." Mr. Hart nodded at her but the gesture was lost because she had darted out of the room.

Bursting into the cafeteria Pandora had formulated a plan of attack as she had run. Not being able to get through to her sister, she was going to try Melinda and Penelope next. Though Dora was not too hopefully of being able to get through to either of her cousins either. It seemed spring had come early for her sister and cousins, for everyone really except for her because boys were proving to be a major distraction.

She scanned the loud and large room carefully searching. In the far corner, a table partially blocked by column Penelope was sitting in Julian's lap. They were well hidden from the lunch supervision, because they were both showing a little more PDA than was acceptable on campus. Dora scowled, there was no way she was going to get her younger cousin's attention not that she suspected the cupid empath was going to be able to help her much. She rolled her eyes and searched the room again, ignoring the pang of hunger that hit her, as she smelled the chili that a small girl with pigtails was carrying near her. When she spotted Melinda, Dora knew she was doomed. Melinda had her chin sitting on her fist, her eyes lovingly studying every line of Adam's face. She sat across the table from the blond youth, what was painful about the situation is that Adam didn't even acknowledge her presence at the table. What Dora couldn't see was the invisible Javin, sitting next to Melinda whispering insecurities to the dark haired beauty about why Adam wouldn't chose her over Patricia.

"Great," Pandora sighed. The last person on her list was Henry. The three Mitchell children had been practicing speaking to each other through their white lighter connection but had yet to master it. Pandora was going to try to talk to Henry but if nothing happened, she was prepared to orb to her older brother. Before she could concentrate much on her task though, chili was spilled onto her shoes.

"OMG, I'm so sorry. That was totally an accident. I didn't mean to get it all over your shoes, I am just so clumsy!" A high pitch apology came from the little pigtails girl.

"Its not that hard to walk and look where you're going." Dora grumbled annoyed. This was not turning into her best day.

"Probably not," Chirped the girl apologetically. "I'm just new and was trying to figure out where to sit, not knowing anyone. But I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching and well you were standing there…" Pandora focused on the girl suddenly, a tiny frame with pale skin. Her eyes were big and black, the same color as her frizzy hair that was up in two high pigtails. She was wearing tight red cord pants that dragged on the ground as proven by the torn up state of the hem. And she had a black zip up hoodie that looked far too big for such a small girl.

"You're new?" Dora sighed as her stomach growled again, loudly.

"Yes, why don't I buy you lunch for dumping mine on your shoes? It looks like you don't have any food yet. Maybe we could sit together? My name is Navya…" The girl rambled on warmly. Dora smiled and shrugged, she couldn't do much on an empty stomach. Besides Navya seemed friendly enough, even if maybe a little too talkative. Javin watched from across the room, as Navya took her position as a friend of Pandora. He smiled to himself, using his left hand to caress some of Melinda's dark hair.

"Maybe losing a little bit of weight will make you more attractive." Javin whispered the insecurity into her ear. Melinda's hands automatically shoved a lunch bag away from her body.

"Just a few more hours, then you never know maybe he'll pay attention to you. Or someone else will come along." Javin warned as he shimmered away. The reckless youth appeared back at the cave in front of very full blackboard.

"News then Javin?" Mr. Tolliver asked as he picked up a piece of chalk ready to take notes.

"Navya is in place with Pandora. Her influence should take affect by this afternoon. Melinda is an emotional wreck, completely broken down about Adam not paying her any attention. Also her lack of eating is going to cause physical breakdown soon, as I keep feeling her insecurity about her appearance." Javin smiled proudly.

"And you will be in place with her soon correct?" Mr. Tolliver demanded. Javin nodded.

"This afternoon, I will be posing as Navya's older brother. I will pick her up from their play rehearsal and just happen to run into Melinda." Javin was pointing at himself as he magically switched outfits.

"And Julian and Adam are heading towards success?" Mr. Tolliver demanded.

"Penelope is starting to show signs of influence, her clothing has gotten darker and she is applying darker make-up. She seems completely intoxicated by Julian. Patricia is well attached but as soon as we remove Melinda as a constant shadow, Adam will start the treatment that Julian began with Penelope." Javin nodded.

"He has the elixir?" Mr. Tolliver asked. Javin just nodded, deciding on a pullover sweatshirt in a dark maroon.

"Then I will inform the seer of our progress and our fellow demons will start phase two of the plan." Mr. Tolliver walked away.

"We're sure that the brothers are well distracted?" Javin asked nervously but Mr. Tolliver had already walked away into his dark corner.

The brothers were tied up for the afternoon, so Javin had little to worry about. With George Washington High School giving all their students a half-day due to accreditation meetings the older charmed cousins had been sentenced to an afternoon at Magic School.

Wyatt was sitting atop a rolling ladder, his back against one of the bookcases that lined his father's office. He was holding a large book that he was threatening to throw at his cousin Henry. Henry was nervously standing near the middle of the room with his hands up and beads of sweat decorating his forehead.

"Come on HJ, this is why we always take Patience with us because you can't use you're powers correctly. All you need to do is practice." Wyatt was instructing as he made the motion to throw the book. Henry responded by squeezing his eyes shut defensively making the book disappeared from Wyatt's hand for three seconds before reappearing.

"See if you keep leaving it in my hand I'm going to throw it, the point is for you to put the book back in the bookcase." Wyatt instructed waving the book around menacingly.

"Maybe if we took a break…" Henry started gulping nervously.

"Demons aren't going to give you a break." Wyatt warned as this time he actually flung the book down at his cousin. Instead of magically removing the threat though, Henry just stepped to the side. The old book hit the ground hard and Wyatt merely twisted his wrist angrily to bring the book back to him.

"Wyatt you shouldn't be throwing around those books." Chris sighed. He was sitting at his father's desk, studying a large modern looking novel with a green binding.

"The books aren't going to get hurt Chris," Wyatt rolled his eyes as he flung the book at Henry again. This time Henry held out his hands, trying to protect himself.

"No, Wyatt!" Henry shouted and the book immersed in white orb lights went flying back at Wyatt. Caught off guard the blond youth got hit right in the jaw with the old textbook, sending dust up to his nose. He started half coughing and half laughing.

"See that wasn't too hard!" Wyatt smiled down at Henry. Henry shook his head and threw himself down on one of the couches.

"Did you guys know that at Mom and Dad's wedding, Aunt Prue astro projected herself out of her body and rode off on a motorcycle ruining their cake?" Chris commented, as his eyes didn't move from the book sitting in front of him.

" Why did she have to astro projected, and how did she learn to do that?" Wyatt asked from his spot on the ladder still.

" Better yet, how did Aunt Piper not kill her?" Henry looked over at Chris questioningly.

"It looks like she was running from the law. Apparently she had been astro projecting her suppressed Id out while she was dreaming and had been at a bar during one of those dreams when a murder had been committed." Chris stated.

"Did she do it?" Henry asked.

"No, she didn't." Leo laughed as he walked into his office. Leo Wyatt hadn't changed too much in the last decade. His hair was starting to gray a little bit and he had begun to put on a few pounds but otherwise he remained much the same. Dressed in the long black teaching robes of Magic School and carrying stacks of papers he strode over to his desk.

"Wyatt you weren't throwing those books around?" Leo asked spotting the dusty outline of books on his marble flooring.

"Well…" Wyatt started debating the lie in his head. "It won't hurt them none." He justified. Wyatt had never been the good liar of the bunch; he was too straightforward for it most of the time. Aside from the fact that neither boy had much luck lying to Leo, there was something about the way their father's blue eyes pierced through them that they felt like he was able to read their very souls.

"I've asked you not to throw around those books, they are part of your magical heritage." Leo sighed as he put down all the papers in his arms. Wyatt fidgeted a second and shrugged.

"We were just practicing with Henry," Wyatt provided.

"By flinging old books at me and seeing if I could orb them away." Henry grumbled.

"Wyatt there is better ways to train." Leo frowned though he was still smiling.

"Why can't we go hang out at the manor dad?" Chris asked suddenly.

"Because sport, it seems none of your mothers trust you enough to be at home without any supervision and not use your magic. Can't say that you've proven that much to me either," Leo ruffled his younger son's brown hair as he pushed the young teen out of his chair. All four of the older charmed children were still grounded, for various reasons and would be for at least another week.

"I don't even have any magic." Chris whined as he sat on the edge of his father's desk.

"Actually, you have magic. Just because you don't have your active powers doesn't mean you can't use magic. Even with bound powers, you are still able to use magic because you're inheritably still magical to not be your magic needs to be stripped." Henry commented from his spot on the couch.

"See little brother, at least mom didn't strip you of your magic." Wyatt laughed mockingly from his ladder perch.

"Oh shut up Wyatt." Chris chucked the book about the charmed ones that he had been reading a moment ago at his older brother's head. Chris was a baseball player and had a pretty decent aim. But Wyatt magically aimed it back at Henry and young Henry putting his hand out to block it actually sending it to its rightful place on the bookcase.

"You did it!" Wyatt and Chris cheered together. Leo outright laughed at this point and shook his head.

"This is why you boys can't go back to the manor. And this time without powers is suppose to be teaching your brother something that maybe you should learn too Wyatt," Leo said carefully as he started shuffling papers. Wyatt squared his shoulders, almost like a silent acceptance of responsibility as he climbed down from the ladder.

"Maybe I will go work on my last few applications in the library, but Dad?" Wyatt was standing at his full height, complete attention on his father. Leo recognized the tone of voice knowing he was about to be asked for something, so without looking up he prompted Wyatt with a yeah.

"I was wondering if maybe you could convince mom to let me go out on a date this Saturday night? I know I'm suppose to be grounded and all, but I just meet the most amazing girl, and I wanted to surprise her…" Wyatt started carefully. Chris and Henry were rolling their eyes.

"You aren't suppose to be grounded Wyatt, you are grounded." Chris stated.

"Maybe just like a late afternoon date, it wouldn't even be late. I would be home way before my curfew and it would only be a few hours, she's new in town and I sort of promised her I would show her around." Wyatt ignored his younger brother.

"Wyatt you know that's not how punishment works," Leo sighed giving his oldest a sad smile, because he could tell that Wyatt really liked this new girl to even try this approach.

"I'll take the magical theory course you wanted me to take this summer." Wyatt spit out. Chris' mouth dropped open in shock and Henry looked at his older cousin in disbelief. Wyatt Halliwell had blatantly refused to take any magical summer courses for over five years, using his mother's defense of needing a normal life. Even though Leo had been suggesting different subjects and studies, hoping to better prepare Wyatt for his magical destiny.

"Really?" Leo looked up in surprised. Wyatt nodded sensing the compromise working. The teen was trying hard not to smile, but his blue eyes danced in triumph.

"Maybe we can work something out with your mother, you must really like this girl." Leo focused back on his work, not wanting to give his son too much hope in case Piper still vetoed the idea. Wyatt did deserve to be grounded, going after the dark lighters nest with his younger brother without telling the sisters wasn't his finest hour. But Leo couldn't help that feel maybe it was time to relax the reins a little bit; it was after all only two more weeks until Wyatt turned 18 and he wasn't a child anymore. Showing off his dimples as he smiled, Wyatt pulled out a beat up blue phone from his back jean pocket as he walked out of the office humming.

"You're going to let him go?' Chris shouted indigently. Henry looked amused as he slipped out of his uncle's office.

"Chris," Leo sighed.

"No really dad, you always let Wyatt do whatever he wants!" Chris crossed his arms in frustration.

"It seemed like a reasonable compromise, and besides nothing is set in stone. I have to talk to your mother." Leo reasoned without looking up.

"You both always let Wyatt do whatever he wants, stupid golden child." Chris grumbled.

"Buddy, we've let you off the hook for things when we haven't let Wyatt off the hook." Leo commented. The statement was fairly true, if anything Piper and Leo tended to be harder on Wyatt than on Chris. Especially for the magical and often times as the boys had been growing up Wyatt got into more trouble for not protecting or guiding Chris away from magical misdeeds. Not until recently, especially this last instance where Chris had run off by himself had Piper and Leo realized that they might have to make Chris more accountable for his own actions.

"Yeah that's why he has his powers and I don't," Chris spat out at his father. Leo looked up now, his blue eyes disapprovingly staring at his young son.

"Christopher you don't have your powers because you used them in an utterly irresponsible way and almost got yourself killed." Leo said steadily. "Wyatt had nothing to do with that decision, informing Wyatt and taking him with you would have been a sound decision making skill, and you know that son." Leo's hand patted Chris' arm as he finished.

"Maybe I should sign you up for that magical practicum seminar in two weeks, you know that Magic School was developed to help guide young witches. After that those young witches destroyed Atlantis…" Leo's voice had settled into a teacher lecture mode and Chris dramatically yawned.

"I know, I know the Elders decided to create a place where blah, blah…" Chris stated. Leo unrolled a piece of parchment, a copy of the Warren Family Tree and pointed to the bottom.

"You know I teach a course on our family, one day you might be in the history books. Maybe you should show a little more responsibility." Leo commented. Chris had yet to discover that he was actually already in the history books about the Charmed ones. There was a recent novel on his alternate self that had visited from the future to save Wyatt, but Leo had kept the book under lock in key. Piper and Leo had decided they would tell Chris the story, or let him read it if he wanted in a few more years. Both parents, and the aunts for that matter, wanted to make sure that the new future was completely secure before sharing the rocky past that brought them to their present. It was hard to tell how the knowledge might have affected Chris or Wyatt while they were growing up.

"Yeah I know…" Chris mumbled in a whisper.

"What was that?" Leo looked up at him.

"I know, I know. I deserve it, blah, blah." Chris stepped off the desk and started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Leo asked.

"I just want to see where Patience is hiding, she ran off when we got here. Make sure she's still here." Chris shrugged.

"After you find her, there is some filing I want you to do in here." Leo said staring at murky green fabric of Chris' hoodie.

"Whatever." Chris said back nonchalantly.

"Christopher," Leo warned because he recognized the tone of his middle child's voice.

"I'll be back dad," Chris sounded resigned as he disappeared. Leo laughed as he shook his head. Sometimes when Piper stashed their teenagers at Magic School because they were grounded, Leo saw it fit to make them file historical papers and student records. All three of his kids hated filing at magic school with a passion, but Leo found it to be a nice chore to keep his teenagers out of mischief while under his supervision.

Further down the hall in a beige marble room with three arched windows, sitting upon a fancy table was Patience. Her red cell phone was placed strategically placed next to her right thigh though she was trying to her hardest to ignore it. Her hands gripped the edge of the table excitedly as she swung her legs back and forth.

"Prince did you know that this was the room where my parents got married?" Patience chatted happily. In the last week Patience had become attached to her mysterious invisible friend. She had started to talk to him at nights, or sometimes during the day when she was alone. He had become her best confidant but he still refused to give her his name, though he gave her plenty of clues. The problem laid in the fact that Patience refused to do any research. She had decided the mysterious man was a past love of her mother's and that she would call him Prince until he informed her otherwise.

"I did not." Prince responded as he glanced around the room. He was dressed in his usual well-tailored back suit and as per usual leaning against one of the walls.

"Yes, I can show you." Patience smiled as she made a heart with both of her thumbs and index fingers and blew a kiss through the shape. A fog seemed to blow over the spot in front of the table and suddenly figures appeared. It was like watching an old movie on an overhead projector, poor visual quality and no sound. Phoebe and Coop fifteen years younger were facing each other lovingly while Patience clapped her hands giddily at her success.

"She was beautiful, I love her dress." Patience admired. Prince could see the projection as well and nodded approving of the choice.

"She always wanted a Cinderella wedding dream." Prince commented.

"Were you going to marry my mother?" Patience asked. But before she could get her answer a screeching pop song echoed off the empty rooms walls. Patience snatched her phone up and put it to her ear.

"You know this Dervin character is bad news." Prince warned for the hundredth time this week. Chris had stepped into the room unnoticed and had been watching his cousin talking to air.

"No, stop saying he's bad news." Patience waved dismissively at the empty space beside her. Chris squinted his eyes at the spot next to his cousin searching for the person she was talking to while ignoring her giggling. Kron was also standing in the room, invisible to all the occupants. The tall pale blond hovered over Chris, bending down to whisper in his ear.

"Use a spell." Kron suggested. Kron could feel the presence in the room, though not able to see the man the power of unfilled love shone brightly. For the past few days, Kron had followed Chris around learning his habits. Kron had learned that Chris needed little pushing and less influence to act upon his impulses, so he was enjoying the escalating potential in the situation.

"In this time, upon this hour. I call upon this sacred power. I shall now see what one alone can see. I command the unseen to be shown." Chris mumbled under his breath quickly, groaning internally at the pathetic spell. But when the green eyes looked up again it wasn't just Patience or her flickering projection that he saw. There leaning against the far wall was a tall, dark haired gentleman maybe in his mid-thirties. Chris stared at this new person, studying the designer suit and the nonchalant stance.

As Patience lovingly put her phone back on the table, she stared right where Chris was looking.

"He's going to come over this Saturday! When mom and dad are at Prim's soccer game, and I'll convince Penelope to go to the mall or something." Patience smiled happily.

"Is that really a good idea?" The man asked. Chris was surprised to be able to hear the figure speak so clearly.

"Patience who are you talking to?" Chris asked. Startled Patience jumped off the table and her hand flew up to freeze any intruder.

"No one!" Patience shook her head violently. Chris frowned, still staring at the man against the wall.

"Truly believing darling. Piper's boy is much more perceptive than you give him credit for." The man sighed.

"You were talking to someone." Chris pressed, trying not to give away that he could see the man.

"On the phone? Just a friend." Patience snapped, automatically snatching up her phone.

"A friend named Dervin? You're not suppose to be seeing him anymore." Chris commented ignoring the other presence for the time being.

"And you should mind your own business Chris." Patience stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're sure you weren't talking to anyone else in this room?" Chris looked around for effect.

"Not besides my idiot cousin." Patience responded sarcastically.

"Not say a man in his mid thirties with dark hair and mysterious eyes?" Chris dared. At this point the man in the room looked straight at him and Patience's cheeks seem to glow with red.

"He can see me. Can he hear me?" The man focused on Chris as he spoke.

"What are you talking about?" Patience managed to whisper over the man's words. Chris shifted his gaze back and forth from his cousin to the man, trying to decide if he should let them he could indeed see and hear the man.

"Who are you?" Chris finally made the decision to question the new presence.

"A figment of your imagination." The man said before he seemed to float away with a gust of wind. Chris blinked a few times before focusing his attention on Patience again.

"What did you do?" He demanded. Patience tugged at the end of her French braid nervously.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." She tried. Chris shook his head though and crossed his arms.

"I'll tell Wyatt." Chris warned. Patience stared at the spot where Prince had stood.

"It's nothing bad." She defended.

"Maybe if you tell me what you did I can decided if there is something bad about my cousin being followed by an invisible man." Chris' chin tilted down and his eyebrows shot up, his face demanding answers.

"I cast a little spell," Patience held up her hand and squeezed her thumb and index finger together.

"What kind of spell?" Chris waved his hand in front of him, asking for more explanation.

"Something about mom's past loves. So this spirit isn't something real, not really anyway. He can't hurt me, I'm not sure he really exists outside of my mind. Could you really see him?" Patience asked. Chris nodded trying to understand.

"But you know who he is?" He asked. Patience shook her head.

"He won't tell me his name, but he talks about mom a lot. He knew her when she was much younger, and he's talked about Aunt Prue too so I think he knew them a long time ago." Patience rambled a bit as her phone started to shriek again.

"You haven't tried to discover if he is a threat to you?" Chris demanded ignoring the ringing.

"He's not. Stop being such a worrywart; I'm going to answer this call. Stop sneaking up on me." Patience pushed her phone back up to her ear and skipped out of the room. Chris stood starring into the empty space, thinking about the invisible man. Nothing about invisible men made him think safety, on the contrary it alerted every sense of danger he had. On the other hand he did seem to just be talking to Patience, so maybe he wasn't any real threat. Chris made a mental note look through the book of shadows when he got home to check for an id on the man. Also as he heard the echo of Patience's giggle, he made a note to tell Wyatt of their dearest cousin's plan to have a certain boy over the next afternoon. Usually he would deal with the situation himself but being unable to orb, Wyatt was going to have to be told.


	7. This way trouble comes

***author's note: I just wanted to let all of you know, good things come to those who wait! Sorry there was so much time between the last chapter and the first few. There was a story plot snag that I seemed to have worked out pretty well enough to write two chapters that quickly. Let me know what you all think, it definitely helps with the writers block I sometimes run into. Thanks for those who have sent feedback! *******

**This way trouble comes**

"Why couldn't the team be pink?" Primrose pouted as Coop pulled a bright green soccer jersey of his young daughter's head.

"Well you can't be pink every year princess." Coop argued helping the little girl pull up her matching green socks.

"Green is not as pretty as pink." Primrose reasoned as she held out pink ribbons to her father. Coop took the pink ribbons from his daughter's hand and curled his fingers around them lightly. A pinkish red light shone from his fist for a second and in a dramatic gesture Coop presented his daughter with a rose. The pink ribbon had curled elaborately and a lime green ribbon had appeared to act as a stem. Primrose squealed with delight, clapping her hands excitedly as Coop laughingly tied the decoration around her ponytail. Bending down, Coop put his hands on Primrose's shoulders to focus her attention.

"Ready to play?" He asked smiling. Her little lips popped open, revealing a partially toothless smile as she nodded happily.

"But I can't ruin my flower, so I might not run too much…" Prim studied herself in an oval mirror on her wall before skipping out of her room. Coop stretched back up onto his feet shaking his head as he followed his youngest. Primrose was never going to be an athlete, Coop had no false aspirations of a champion soccer player but he liked seeing her get a little dirty. After all, Primrose was a little too much of a princess sometimes even for her adoring father. Out of his three girls, Patience was the only one inclined towards sports.

Walking out into the airy living room of the loft, Coop watched his little soccer player run towards the kitchen counter. Sitting at the counter, Phoebe was actively trying to talk to her sulking daughter Penelope. Coop frowned at the scene noticing the darken light around his middle child. Penelope was dressed in black today, which had started to become a trend this week. She was in a plain black long sleeved t-shirt and black pants, the only thing keeping her outfit from resembling a jumpsuit was a wide gray slash tied around her waist.

"You don't have to wear that much black eye liner to make a statement Penelope." Phoebe was arguing as she sipped on her coffee. Penelope didn't respond but merely shrugged.

"Come on bug, what is going on?" Phoebe begged for connection, as her eyes looked worriedly up at her husband. Coop shrugged at his wife, not understanding this sudden change of personality anymore than she did. As if a switch had been turned on, Penelope's eyes flashed a brilliant red as she smiled sweetly at both her parents.

"I'm going to the pier with Tricia and Melinda. Wyatt's going to pick me up any minute, that's ok right?" She asked. Phoebe lifted her right hand up to her temple, rubbing it mindlessly in frustration.

"Yes of course that's fine, are you sure there is nothing going on?" Phoebe tried yet again, though in her voice there was nothing but defeat.

"No mom, nothing's wrong. I am just trying a different style is all," Penelope responded sweetly as she walked over and pecked her mother on the cheek.

"Daddy, can I have some money? We might go to the movies." Penelope batted her eyelashes up at Coop. Coop slipped a questioning look to Phoebe who gave a curt nod before pulling out his wallet. Though Coop was still primarily a cupid, he did work outside of his magical responsibility to help bring in an income for his family. During the summer Coop worked as a couples counselor and in the fall he usually taught a quarter course on varying topics for magic school students.

"Thanks Daddy," Penelope pushed herself up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek before scurrying back into her room to finish getting ready.

"Something is going on with her," Coop commented.

"She's a teenage girl." Phoebe provided grumpily. The sensitive charmed one was not thrilled at the idea of dealing with another moody teenager in her home, Patience was enough for her.

"Are you sure that's it?" Coop came up behind his wife, placing his palm softly on the back of her neck.

"Well it makes sense. I was a pretty angry teen, wearing a lot of black and acting out that way." Phoebe sighed.

"I'm never going to wear black." Primrose scrunched her nose up in disgust at the idea. Phoebe laughed as she put her coffee mug in the sink. Wiping her hands on the bottom of her dark green supportive team mom t-shirt as she walked over to the little girl. Dark green was as close as Phoebe Halliwell was ever going to get to the lime green that represented Primrose's little dragons team. Prim was happily munching on strawberries as Phoebe wrapped her arms around her head.

"Let's hope so." Phoebe hugged her daughter.

"We're going to be late, Patience still asleep?" Coop looked around expecting to see his oldest lounging around in her pajamas but she was not anywhere to be seen.

"I think so, I was thinking about making her go with us because I don't trust her to stay put." Phoebe crossed her arms.

"We're already late Phoebe, and do we really need another reason for her to hate us? Why would we add early wake up call on a Saturday to the list?" Coop scooped down to pick up Primrose's soccer bag near the door.

"But leaving her alone while she's grounded, that's like tempting Pandora with the box…" Phoebe sighed.

"Late," Coop tapped at his wristwatch.

"Patience will be good mommy. I know she will." Primrose announced as she threw open the front door.

"Did you get a vision Princess?" Phoebe asked excitedly. Primrose turned around and frowned.

"No, Patience isn't always naughty though." She defended studying her mother's face as only a seven year old could. Phoebe was beginning to fear none of her daughters were going to inherit her power of premonition. But according to Leo and the theory of Warren family magical powers, if three siblings existed each had to possess at least one of the three charmed powers. Though he theorized that the powers could manifest in different ways and different combinations than it had in the girls, as was proven over and over again with each child born. Premonition seemed to be latent in development among Phoebe and Piper's kids as neither set had experience visions of future or past. Phoebe couldn't help but feeling disappointed, as she was still hoping it would be Primrose that developed her power.

"Of course she isn't princess." Coop nodded trying to distract the little girl from Phoebe's disappointed face.

"Mommy wants me to have powers." Primrose commented. "Will I ever?"

"Of course you will Princess!" Phoebe smiled brightly.

"You already have some cupid powers, it's only a matter of time until you get some of your witch powers too. Your mom just wants you to see the future and the past like her." Coop tried to explain. "But we have to go," He scooped quickly scooped Primrose up and tilted his head to motion Phoebe out the door.

"I'm going to write a quick note, I'll be right down." Phoebe grabbed a pen and scribbled a note before dashing out the door. "Bye Girls!" She called into the empty living room before shutting the door.

Patience threw the covers off her body and jumped out of bed. She grabbed a scoop neck red cable sweater from the back of her vanity chair. Slipping it on as she stepped into fashionable sweater ankle boots in a gray matching her demin skirt. As she powdered her cheeks, the air materialized behind her.

"She knew you were going to do this," He stated as he watched her dab her lips with a rose gloss.

"Sometimes I'm predictable." Patience responded, fluttering her eyelashes up to brush them up with mascara. Carefully inserting earrings, Patience smiled at herself before twirling around.

"What do you think Prince?" She asked.

"I think you should stop calling me Prince." The man responded.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" Patience smiled.

"Chris will probably call you as soon as he discovers who I am." The man shrugged.

"Maybe. Have you heard any movement? I don't think Penelope has left yet…" Patience tip toed to the door of her room and cracked it open. Penelope was lying on the couch actually she was slightly floating above the couch. The television was on and the channels were changing though the remote was sitting on the coffee table.

"How is she doing that?" Patience mumbled watching her younger sister barely move to wield the magic around her. Before she could study the situation any further though a high pitch ring tone made Penelope sit up.

"What?" Penelope said to the room. Her purple cell phone floated out of the purse that was at her feet, where the straps were curling themselves around the girl's calves.

"We're here." Patricia's voice echoed in the room, as it was amplified. Penelope didn't touch her cell phone but let it float in front of her as she played with her dark purple nails.

"Coming," The girl shrugged at the phone as it slithered back into her purse. Penelope seemed to slither out of the loft with no notice to the fact that her older sister had been watching her.

"What is going on with her," Patience frowned. "And where did that power boast come from, she doesn't have telekinesis. And she's never been able to levitate. Or at least she didn't last week…"

"You're sister is turning evil." The man commented. Patience spun around to face him, but he was no longer standing in her room. Instead he had appeared in the living room, where he circled the couch studying the section where Penelope had been sitting.

"What are you talking about?" Patience demanded as she stepped out of her room.

"She's turning evil, though I'm unsure how it's happening. I've been spending most of my time with you, so I haven't been watching your sisters much at all." The man closed his eyes, as he smelled the air.

"Are you sure?' Patience paled as her hands sat on her hips demandingly.

"Quite. I have some experience in this area." He responded darkly as he drifted away, disappearing. Patience paced back into her room, running both her hands through her hair in frustration. A knock at the front door disturbed her concentration and brought her attention out of her thoughts.

"I can't deal with this now," She sighed but she noticed that her invisible friend had disappeared. "Fine, leave me to deal with the revelation that my little sister is turning evil. Maybe he's wrong, yeah he's probably wrong." Patience mumbled to herself as she checked her reflection.

Another knock on the door as Patience whispered, "Mirror Me, Please respond when knocks or voices search for me." With that small enchantment she tapped one of her fingers against the glass.

"Patience?" Dervin called from outside the door.

"Coming!" Came an echoing response as both Patience and her reflection responded. Patience winked at her reflection before locking the door to her room from the inside and running towards the door.

Twirling a single red rose in his pale hand, Dervin leaned in to kiss Patience on the cheek.

"Afternoon beautiful." He smiled as he snapped the stem of the rose before tucking the blossom behind her ear.

"Did you steal it?" Patience grabbed one of the scarves on a hook neck to the door as she stepped out into the hallway. Dervin's blue iris moved up innocently looking at the ceiling as he shrugged, using the motion to put his arm around her shoulders.

"Borrowed it from one of the bushes out in front of the building maybe." Dervin laughed, as his hand played with the tips of her ponytail. The young couple walked out of the building and towards his old car on the street. Dervin dashingly opened the passenger door for Patience.

"What are we going to do for the whole hour we have?" Dervin asked as he inserted his key into the ignition. But Patience was distractedly looking out the window, starring into the empty space in front of her. Dervin curiously looked at her for a few minutes waiting for a response, but when she didn't even move he just started the car.

"Maybe we'll grab some lattes? You like those…" He stated though he knew she wasn't paying any attention to him.

"Yeah, sure." She mumbled as her attention stayed focused out the window. Dervin frowned as he flipped on the radio to drown out the unusual silence.

"Patience?" Dervin sighed as she had started nervously tapping on the dashboard.

"Hm?" Her trance was broken as she stared at him intently.

"Is something wrong?" He asked trying not to sound needy. If there was anything Dervin understood it was that Patience didn't react particularly well to pressure.

"No it's nothing, I'm sorry." As she said this, Dervin stole a glance at her face. Her forehead was creased with worry and her right cheek was sucked in abnormally as she was biting on it.

"Something is wrong," Dervin prompted. But Patience just shook her head, how could she explain that she thought her sister was turning evil to someone non-magical. Dervin would think she was crazy, aside from the fact that she wasn't sure what to do about it.

"No, it's nothing. Well it's something but it's complicated." Patience let out a frustrated sigh.

"Maybe a latte will help you think about how to explain it?" Dervin joked as he pulled up to a curb.

"Maybe." Patience laughed as well as she got out of the car. Dervin tucked his arm around her waist as they walked up to the familiar ordering counter. After Dervin order the drinks, the screeching pop song sounded from the little wristlet that Patience was carrying. She unzipped and stared at her phone, silently praying that her mother hadn't discovered she had disappeared quite yet. The screen blinked the name Chris as the song kept playing loudly. Dervin stared down at it and smiled.

"Does he know you're with me?" Dervin's asked mischievously. Patience thought about it, there was a possibility that Chris knew she was with him, but if that was the case why hadn't Wyatt stormed in to usher her away yet?

"Maybe I should talk to him," Patience sighed as she popped the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" She sighed. She walked out onto the street, away from Dervin, as Chris started rambling into her ear.

"You're imaginary friend is demon, I think anyway. There are literally tons of pages on him in the book of shadows. His name in the form he's appearing is Cole Turner. But he also has a demonic form named Belthazor and he's really bad news Patience." Chris was muttering into the phone quietly. Patience had a hunch that he was hiding in the attic, studying the book of shadows without permission, supervision or even acknowledgement from either of his parents.

"He can't be that bad, he hasn't done anything to me. Honestly I don't think he can, I'm not sure how he exists." She responded though as the words came out she suddenly had a thought.

"This isn't good though Pat, he has a chapter in the book of shadows. An entire chapter!" Chris warned into the phone.

"Well he's not with me now," She said slowly as she worked through the new idea that had struck her. Patience was pacing around in front of the large Starbucks window, as the light at the intersection turned green a stream of cars drove past her.

"Where are you?" Chris' voice changed from urgency to suspicion.

"I'm with Dervin, but look Chris. This morning, well, there is something going on with Penelope. And Cole suggested that she was turning evil and I'm not entirely sure how he came to that conclusion." Patience alluded to her suggestion knowing that Chris wouldn't take any time jumping to the same conclusion.

"You think he's turning her? What makes you think that she's turning evil?" Chris demanded.

"Have you seen her Chris, I'm worried about her." Patience mumbled into the phone as Dervin came out looking for her. He stood with two white cups in each hand scanning the street for his companion.

"Where is she?" Chris sounded like he was calculating.

"She went out with Patricia and Melinda. Has Melinda seemed different?" Patience was trying to ignore Dervin's questioning look as he walked towards her.

"Different," Chris was clicking his tongue in thought. "She's been kind of down lately but I thought it might be because of that guy her and Tricia were both into."

"They are into the same guy?" Patience was surprised by the information.

"Yes, apparently. Wyatt saw them flirting with him before he saw Penelope making out with some guy." Chris said slowly.

"She was doing what?" Patience demanded.

"You didn't know?" Chris was shocked.

"No, I didn't. Maybe we should find them, something might be going on…" Patience sighed into the phone. Dervin set his hand on her shoulder.

"What is going on?" He demanded.

"My sister, I think there is something wrong with her." She responded desperately trying to work out a plan of action.

"Do you want to go check on her?" Dervin asked.

"Maybe Chris and I should handle this…" Patience gave him a confused look.

"We can go get him if you'd like, do you know where your sister is?" Dervin asked as he started to lead her back to his car.

"Patience I don't know if this is a good idea, I still don't think you should be dating that guy and what if it's a magical problem?" Chris was arguing.

"She's at the pier." Patience responded to Dervin, as he started the car. "We could just see what is going on, see if there is actually any trouble maybe with these guys?" Patience said with a heavy emphasis on the word guys, knowing that Chris would understand they would be looking for Cole.

"Fine, but I don't like this. And remember I'm still grounded, as are you." Chris responded.

"We'll park down the street and you can meet us?" Patience directed. Dervin nodded at the direction as he turned onto bridge to get out of downtown.

"Yeah, I'll climb out the window. Dad is working in the garage so I should get away without being noticed." Chris hung up without waiting for a response. Patience zipped her phone back up into her wristlet.

"Why didn't you just tell me that you were worried about your sister?" Dervin asked keeping his eyes on the road.

"It just didn't seem like anything really, you know middle school girls are moody." Patience smiled sweetly.

"And what changed? You sounded panicked?" Dervin shifted his eyes to give a sideway glance as they pulled up to the designated curb. There weren't many people out on the street or in front of the old fashioned houses near the Manor. The sky had darken and a burst of wind made it cold enough for most normal people to stay indoors.

"Chris said that Wyatt had seen her with a guy, maybe this guy is bad news?" Patience shrugged.

"You guys aren't big on boundaries?" Dervin laughed. "Weren't you mad that Chris and Wyatt were spying on you just last week?"

"That was different, they're just wrong." Patience crossed her arms angrily. There was no way to explain to Dervin that she thought Penelope might be dating a demon without him understanding what that really meant. Chris came sprinting down the sidewalk, casting glances behind him every few steps.

"You didn't have to do this," Patience whispered leaning into him. "We're ruining the time we had together…"

"Well it gives me an excuse to see you again, besides sneaking around to spy might be fun." Dervin shrugged. Patience giggled as he leaned forward and kissed Dervin on the cheek.

"Sneaking around to hide from my family isn't enough for you?" She asked. Chris was knocking on the window of the backseat. Dervin reached around Patience to pull up the lock on the door. Chris slipped into the car and nodded his greetings to Dervin.

"Hey," He said checking out the window again to ensure that his parents hadn't followed him down the street.

"To the pier," Dervin winked at Patience and started to drive. Chris leaned forward and started mumbling to his cousin. Patience leaned forward discreetly turning on the radio so that Dervin couldn't hear their conversation well.

"Why do you think she's turning evil?" Chris mumbled into her ear.

"She's changed. She's not wearing colors anymore and you know how much she liked wearing colors…" Patience started.

"Oh come on that can't be it, when Wyatt was eight he would only wear blue that didn't mean he was turning evil…" Chris mocked.

"It's different Chris, she hasn't been talking to me all week and I hadn't noticed until today."

"You've been preoccupied and she doesn't like Dervin. And can probably sense that you're still seeing him, that empath thing of hers. I stopped talking to Wyatt when he dated that bitch Mackenzie at the end of his sophomore year. I hated her." Chris' face was distorted in disgust.

"We know you all hated her." Patience rolled her eyes. "She was actually a bitch though, you all hate Dervin for the wrong reasons." She defended.

"Well I'm sure you're little sister doesn't see it that way, besides you know how much of a rule freak she is." Chris reminded her.

"Fine, but this isn't about how I'm alienating my sister because of my relationship…" Patience sighed.

"Well it might explain why she hasn't been talking to you thus not making it something that is making her evil…" Chris' eyebrows popped up.

"She was levitating and moving objects around her this morning, without talking or using her hands or anything. She was wielding some wicked power." Patience finally snapped at him. But the conversation came to an abrupt stop as Dervin stopped the car and turned to the two of them.

"Look I'm going to drive around and find a place to park that doesn't cost a fortune, but I thought I would let you two get a head start." Dervin nodded towards the pier. Patience and Chris were brought out of their own little world. The car had pulled up on the curb in front of tourists taking pictures in front of the bronze statue of the sea lions.

"Thanks man," Chris jumped out of the car joining the amassing group of wandering families.

"Oh he just loves me." Dervin laughed.

"He'll warm up to you, he's just a bit over protective." Patience shrugged. Chris had opened her door and was controlling his urge to pull her out of the car. He held the car door open with his right hand while nervously twitching his left hand in his sweatshirt pocket. She stepped out of the car and wrapped her black scarf around her chin and mouth.

"What is that your disguise?" Chris mocked.

"Maybe," She responded as she pulled the hood of Chris' sweatshirt up over his head.

"Definitely not going to be recognized." Chris laughed as Patience pulled him towards the stores of the pier. The pier was crowded with all sorts of locales and tourists and it was easy to navigate through the crowd without brining too much attention to themselves. Scanning the area they watched nuzzling romantic couples drinking hot drinks. In pockets throughout the pier boys were rough housing trying to impress giddy giggling schoolgirls. Every few feet there would be another over zealous family waiting excitedly for their bay tours. Chris rolled his eyes this is why he never spent any time at the pier, too much of a fabricated reality for him. They spotted Dora wandering around a crazy socks store giggling with Navya.

"Who is that?" Patience wandered as they sneak past her. Chris shrugged.

"I have no idea, I've been under house arrest and with no ability to orb to check up on any of you." Chris replied bitterly.

"And if you had your powers maybe we could sense where Penelope is…" Patience grabbed his arm to stop him. Chris growled as he turned around to face her, his eyes squinted in anger.

"Look," Patience pointed to the clumps of teenagers around the merry-go-round. There were young teenaged couples, girls sitting on merry-go-round horses with boyfriends standing lovingly at their side. A group of boys were torturing one of their friends by throwing around his shoe that seemed to be lost unwillingly.

"Why don't you use your cupid power to find your sister?" Chris nudged her as he studied a couple making out on one of the horses. The couple had caught his attention just as they moved out of sight, so he focused on where they would come back around.

"I can try." Patience sighed as she tried to relax. She closed her eyes, while Chris was squinting at the couple that had come back into view.

"That's Patricia. I'm going to beat that guy up..." Chris took a step forward but Patience grabbed a fistful of his jacket.

"Stop." She whispered. Chris tried to shrug out of his jacket.

"His hand is moving dangerous low on her back, just one good punch…" Chris whined.

"I'm having a hard time finding her while trying to hold you." Patience sighed as she shut her eyes again. Chris stood still but he nervously punched his fisted right hand into an open palmed left hand a habit from his baseball playing.

"She's close, I just can't tell where." Patience eyes flew back open and they were tinted slightly pink.

"You know you should really practice that power, you're not nearly as good as Pen is at it." Chris lectured a bit before she punched him in the shoulder.

"And you need to not go beating people up just because they are dating one of your cousins." She wagged her finger at him.

"Patricia is not dating anyone, she does seem to be sucking that guy's face though. Too bad he won't have one in a second." Chris started to take steps again but stumbled as a red headed teen ran past him.

"Was that Dora?" Patience questioned as a blur of black pigtails ran past them as well.

"Stop!" Two security guards were racing down the pier after the two teens. Chris and Patience watched as Dora and her friend were caught at the end of the pier.

" I think I just saw your little sister," Dervin had appeared next to Patience. His hands were resting on his hips with his thumbs looped into the belt loops of his jeans.

"Was that Dora?" Patience asked again. Chris and her couldn't pull their eyes away from the scene playing out at the end of the dock. Past the merry-go- round, a souvenir and candy shop, at the edge of the man-made wooden dock and the endless water of the bay is where Dora had been caught in plain view of her two older cousins. One of the security officers was pulling items out of her purse.

"She was lifting stuff from the stores on the pier." Dervin provided as he studied where Patience's brown eyes were focusing.

"How do you know?" Patience asked turning to face him now.

"I watched her take something before they caught her. She's not usually a stealer," Dervin commented. Being a juvenile delinquent made him somewhat of an expert not only because the rumors declared him so but also because it was truth.

"What were you picked up for?" Chris glared at Dervin. His arms crossed defensively across his chest as his green eyes criticized every detail about Dervin.

"Chris!" Patience snapped. "No, Dora has never stolen anything in her life." She responded to Dervin's original thought.

"She seemed new." Dervin nodded.

"She's with a demon." Cole had appeared next to Chris.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Chris demanded.

"The car," Dervin frowned down at Chris' sudden outburst.

"That other girl, the one with the black hair. She's a demon. Actually the boy that Patricia is with is a demon too. Melinda is out by the sea lions with a demon too. Not to mention that one up there," Cole pointed up to the second level on the pier. Penelope was standing next to Julian and she was concentrating on the teeming people below her.

"And where did these demons come from!" Chris demanded of Cole.

"Demons?" Dervin was studying Chris curiously.

"All of our cousins are here with boys." Patience tried to explain away the word.

"This is you're fault!" Chris turned to face Cole and Patience threw her hands up into the air and all the people around them froze.

"Patience!" Cole and Chris cried her name simultaneously. But the cry echoed as the only sound of the pier, no one was moving.

"That is impressive," Chris stated looking around.

"She froze…" Patience was staring up at her younger sister. Chris followed her gaze and nodded grimly.

"So did Dora and Tricia…" Chris scanned for his other two cousins. Both girls were completely inanimate, completely frozen mid-action.

"I told you she was turning evil. As are the others, hence Pandora down there picking up the nasty habit of stealing things." Cole commented.

"I think this is your doing and you're just trying to blame these kids." Chris accused.

"You have a lot of Piper in you," Cole commented as he drifted away appearing behind Penelope on the second level. The people on the pier started to move again.

"Stop acting like a crazy person." Patience kicked Chris before Dervin unfroze completely.

"We should go Pati, your parents are going to be home soon." Dervin stared at his watch.

"We won't make it if we have to drive all the way to the manor." Patience looked worried. Chris rolled his eyes, they were possibly dealing with a demon attack and his cousin was scared about being caught.

"I'll stay." He shrugged.

"But you're grounded too aren't you?" Dervin asked curiously.

"I'll call Wyatt, he'll pick me up." Chris winked at Patience who would understand that orbbing might be involved.

"He might be mad…" Patience argued.

"I'm not sure we should leave you." Dervin nodded in agreement.

"It will give me more reason to try to spy on my own dearest sister," Chris winked before walking away. Patience and Dervin didn't spend too much time worrying about him before they walked back down the pier towards the street. Chris ducked into one of the small allies leading from the main section of shops to the outer balcony of the structure.

"Wyatt!" Chris shouted in a bit of a whisper. Bouncing on his heels impatiently, he waited only a few seconds before repeating his older brother's name but no response came. Wyatt was more than a little preoccupied with his date with Anka and was more willing to ignore his little brother than usual.

"Damn it Wyatt." Chris grumbled as he pulled out his cell phone to try to call his older brother the normal way. The phone rang twice before Wyatt's voice rang clear.

"Call Henry." Was all he said before hanging up the phone.

"She must be hot." Chris rolled his eyes but decided to take the advice. There was no way he was going to take the bus home from the pier, it would take him over two hours to get home. There was no way that he could be gone for two hours without his mother or his father noticing that he had broken out.

"Henry!" Chris called out. Second later the young Mitchell appeared accompanied by his wiser not so happy looking grandfather Sam.

"Why is Sam with you?" Chris stuttered.

"Aren't you grounded?' Sam countered. Sam Wilder was exactly the same as he had been for the last hundred years even though at this point he had died twice. Often times on the weekends, he would spend time with one of his grandchildren. It was an unspoken truth that Sam was the Mitchell's children unofficial whitelighter. Sam had a particularly strong relationship with Henry. As a member of the family, Sam visited the manor often enough for any magical relative. Chris had met him about as many times as he had met his deceased grandmother Patti.

"Maybe." Chris shrugged.

"What are you doing on the pier?" Henry asked confused.

"I needed to check something but now I have to get home. I have to do some research with the book of shadows." Chris snatched Henry's hand to prompt quick orbbing.

"Does your mother know what you're doing?" Sam demanded.

"Of course she does." Chris nodded vigorously but Henry was shaking his head. Sam looked from Chris' slightly sunbathed cheeks to Henry's pale white with slight red cheeks trying to surmise the situation.

"Do I want to know?" He asked.

"Probably not." Both boys responded with a shrug as Henry orbed Chris from the pier. The three of them appeared in the attic of the manor, Henry landing them directly into boxes of old toys.

"Christ Henry, you really need to think about where you're landing more." Chris grunted as he stumbled out of the boxes wearing an old wizard's hat on his shoulder and trying to shake off a slinky from his foot.

"It's true Henry, you should try to visualize where you want to land more. Possibly relax a little bit?" Sam often tried to guide his favorite grandchild in his magical abilities as a white lighter. Henry nodded happy to take advice from such a seasoned white lighter. Chris had bee lined to the book of shadows without a second look to either of his companions.

"So what you two hanging out today?" Chris tried to make small talk as he flipped through the book of shadows. Henry was looking around him interested in the contents of the boxes.

"Yeah, Sam was letting me come with him to help a charge in Greece. We were going to check out some of the old witches scared ground." Henry chattered happily.

"Fun," Chris said dryly. Sam wandered over towards the podium where the Book of Shadows sat. Chris was thumbing through the pages of the ancient book carefully. Henry happily picked up a fistful of little green army men, shaking his head.

"You and Wyatt would never let me touch these," Henry reminisced. Chris and Sam ignored his statement.

"What are you looking for?" Sam asked as he watched Chris intently focusing on the book.

"Would you do me a favor?" Chris stopped flipping pages and used his green eyes to pierce through Sam.

"Maybe," Sam said hesitantly.

"I can't tell you what's going on, but I need Patience brought back here. Let Henry bring her back without you?" Chris bargained.

"Chris, I'm not sure that this is a good idea." Henry started to argue as he waved the parachute army man. But one threatening look from Chris made him shut up quickly.

"I might agree with my grandson on this, Piper is not going to like this…." Sam was shaking his head.

"Look I'll get mom involved as soon as she needs to be. I'm just trying to figure something out. How are we ever suppose to learn if the charmed ones never let us work out our own problems?" Chris argued knowing how to strike a nerve with Sam. Actually most of the men in the charmed ones lives thought they might be slightly too over protective with their children. It was beginning to become a problem, even as Wyatt and Chris reached their age of adulthood faster everyday, the three charmed ones seemed to fight their battles more and more every day.

"I don't think this is a good idea." Sam was just as stubborn as any Halliwell.

"What if you give us a day?" Henry inserted trying to help Chris without knowing what the problem they were dealing with was quite yet. Though if it involved Patience, Henry was at least satisfied to know that Chris was not attempting to take down the underworld alone again.

"A week, give us a week to figure out this little dilemma of ours without Mom. Or Aunt Phoebe or Paige. If we can't then I will tell mom myself, even if I'm grounded for the rest of my life." Chris mumbled the last part inaudible to Sam.

"I really don't feel right about this." Sam was trying to read the page of the book that Chris had stopped on. Though Chris had anticipated that reaction from Sam and had paused one page before reaching the information he was searching for on Cole.

"Aren't you a white lighter?" Chris demanded.

"You know he is," Henry frowned at the turn of the conversation dropping all the army men back into the box.

"Are you Henry's white lighter?" Chris smiled mischievously.

"He's going to tell you that your responsibility is to help guide me, not to rat me out to my mother. Or rat him out to his…" Henry was rolling his eyes.

"Christopher," Sam said wearily.

"I can't orb, I can't magically move things. I don't have lightening shooting out of my fingers. I don't think I can cause too much damage. I'm not going to the underworld and I'm not going to fight any demons. I'm just doing some research on something that may or may not be a problem for my family. I could just be being a dramatic slightly moody teen that is trying to grasp at the little bit of rebellion that I can with a mother such as my own. Does that really sound dangerous to you? Don't you remember being a teenager?" Chris demanded smartly. Henry stifled a laugh as he tripped over a box. Sam and Chris snapped their attention to him again.

"Do you know that Sam was a teenager around the 1860s." Sam laughed. "So the likelihood that he could relate to our plight on any level is really unrealistic."

"Yeah, yeah. Because he lived in a time period where at my age he was already considered an adult." Chris spat frustrated. Sam laughed and shook his head.

"Penelope would have loved you, especially not having to raise you." Sam ran his hand through his gray hair slowly. "Two days?"

"Five." Chris responded.

"Two." Sam maintained.

"Five. And no questions." Chris added.

"Two. And you tell me what this involves." Sam reasoned.

"This is going to take all day." Henry sighed. "Three days and we make a deal that if we get into any trouble we call you right away."

"Fine." Sam and Chris agreed at the same time.

"Thanks Grandpa. I'll talk to you later?" Henry disappeared in his white orbs.

"Don't be reckless Chris, that's a problem with this family." Sam said as he also disappeared in his orbs. Chris flipped through the book to the pages on Cole Turner and Belthazor. As Chris studied the history of how Cole became the source of all Evil shock washing over his features. Kron had appeared sitting on the sill of the windows behind Chris and the book.

"Dangerous, have to do something about this dangerous man. Study his past, find someone who can help you destroy him." Kron was chanting behind the youth. Chris frowned down at the picture of Belthazor starring at the handwriting on the page about his demonic self.

"Who wrote this?' Chris wondered not recognize the writing as his mother or either of his aunts. The pages of the book started magically flipping, though the magical assist did not come from the usual place but rather from Kron. Kron stood next to the book blowing on the pages to move them. The page it opened to was a spelled that Chris had never come across before, To Go Back in Time.

"Maybe if I switch this spell up a bit, I can absorb these memories without having to read all of them. Something like," Chris grabbed a pen and pad of paper. Phoebe still the main spell writer for the charmed ones often left pens and pads of paper throughout the attic for her sudden ideas.

"Instead of sending me back, bring forth to me…" Chris chewed on the end of his pencil for a second.

"Maybe just go back and ask," Kron suggested.

"Or I could just…." Chris stared at the page of the book of shadows again for a second before just reciting the spell.

"Hear these words, Hear the rhyme. Heed the hope within my mind. Send me back to where I'll find. What I wish in place and time." Chris closed his eyes ready to be moved through decades of time. But he didn't move. Instead he stood still in front of the book of shadows with his eyes closed for what seemed like hours. What Chris didn't know is that there was a magical protection spell cast on the attic not allowing for time traveling to be done by the occupants of the current time. The spell had been cast as a precaution to protect particularly Chris himself.

Two orbs of light appeared in the center of the room materializing into Henry and Patience. Cole also swept into the attic. As a thundering sound shook the windows of the attic, Chris opened his eyes to find himself starring at an unfamiliar face.

"Who are you?" Four voices asked at the same moment.

"Prue?" Cole sounded shock.


	8. By now you should have realized

**By now you should have realized**

Henry yanked his coat from a hook near his office door and dug into his pant pocket looking for his car key.

"Mitchell where are you going?" One of the officers called after him but Henry didn't even try to answer as he flew out of the office. Rolling his shoulders to get his arms into his jacket as he opened the door to his car angrily. As soon as his jacket was completely on, he pulled out his cell phone and tried to dial a number and start the car at the same time.

"Damn it, Paige!" Henry called out in frustration as he backed out the car. A series of white lights appeared on the passenger seat, seconds before Paige materialized. She was eating with chopsticks off of a small curved white plate.

"Want some?" She offered her husband. Henry glared at her, slamming on his brakes as the stoplight changed to yellow.

"Paige," He sighed.

"What is wrong Mr. Grumpy pants?" Paige mumbled as she shoved some chow mien into her mouth.

"You're daughter is in a holding cell down at the pier for shop lifting." Henry accelerated quickly taking out his frustration on the gas pedal.

"My daughter did what, it was Dora right?" Paige dropped the plate into her lap.

"Paige I'm a prohibition officer, I can't have a kid who steals things. Can you explain to me what she could have possibly been thinking?" Henry demanded.

"Like I know, I've never stolen anything in my life." Paige bent down to try to collect the food she had spilled. Giving up on the endeavor only a few pieces in, she orbed away the plate and the food in an instant.

"I'm going to kill her." Henry grumbled. "She's going to be grounded until she's twenty five."

"Want to cut off her hand like they do in Arabia?" Paige mocked.

"Paige, this is serious." Henry pulled a u-turn to pull into a parking garage at the pier.

"Henry, she's a teenage girl. She's going to be rebellious…" Paige tried to defend.

"We have never made it seem like stealing is ok, ever." Henry was shaking his head.

"I always thought she would become more magically rebellious." Paige mumbled to herself.

"You're not helping." Henry snapped.

"Babe, you've got to be calm dad for a few minutes. You can yell and rant all you want once you get her into the car again." Paige warned him as he got out of the car. In Paige's hurry to follow her husband to prevent him strangling one of their twin daughters she didn't notice brushing past a petite pigtailed girl.

Navya smiled wickedly as she felt the power of a charmed one almost electrocute her. Mr. Tolliver had to pull her arm to move her forward again.

"Can I check on one of the cute ones now?' Navya begged as the two demons distanced themselves from the crowds of the pier.

"Olivia was going to check in on Chris before she came back to the cove tonight." Mr. Tolliver replied bored.

"Then can I check on Chris?" Navya's eyes were bright with excitement.

"If you wish, though he is with Kron and none of your…" Mr. Tolliver wasn't even done with his statement before the air where Navya had stood was rippling. She appeared outside the window of the attic, floating and invisible.

"Spying?" Kron had leaned his body through the wall without problem.

"I was just checking in." Navya shrugged.

"You are attracted to him." Kron tilted his head to study Navya's face.

"Him and Wyatt are delicious." Navya popped a piece of gum into her mouth. "You're also soft on the eyes." She added.

"The entire family is really truly attractive," Kron sighed starring directly at Patience.

"So what's happening, and who's the new woman in there?" Navya frowned.

"Oh a spell backfired. Nothing to really concern your little demonic head with." Kron winked and leaned back through the wall and into the attic. Navya remained floating and watching her favorite Halliwell lovingly.

"Aunt Prue?" Chris and Patience repeated the name that Cole had uttered just seconds ago.

"Aunt Prue?" Henry echoed confused.

"Aunt…" Prue took a deep breath and looked around her suddenly realizing the attic looked different than the one she had just been standing in. There was more clutter everywhere but then again there was also more organization and the couches had moved from one side to the other. Not to mention that the attic she had just left did not have three teenagers in it. Focusing her attention back to the book and the teenage boy that had seemingly brought her here, she realized that the book itself had gotten much bigger too. As Prue was studying her surrounds the cousins came out of their initial shock.

"How did this happen?" Patience stared at Chris expectedly. The fourteen year old seemed to be channeling some of her maternal instinct as her hands rested in an annoyed fashion on her hips. Her eyes glared pointedly at her older cousin, it was quite a change of scenario when it was usually Chris chastising her.

"I have no idea. I was trying to cast a spell to go back in time to find out more about your friend over there." Chris pointed to where Cole was standing. Cole seemed just as shocked as everyone else in the room. Prue turned to stare at the reason she had been brought here, but saw nothing but a bookcase full of resource books and potion vials. Prue wondered when they had started to collect resource books. Cole waved at her but she didn't react, he smiled and shook his head. Prue looked away from the corner and back at Chris.

"She can't see me either." He commented.

"Whom are you pointing at?" Henry and Prue asked at the same time. But Chris and Patience ignored them.

"You were trying to go back in time, how could you possibly think that was a good idea. Better yet how did you screw up that spell?" Patience demanded as she moved to stand next to her cousin by the Book of Shadows.

"I said it just like it's on the page, thinking I could just go back and ask some questions about your friend. Because I really think there is a connection between him and the demons, and well at first I was going to write a spell that would let me adsorb all the memories about him but I didn't want to re-write the spell…" Chris was running his hand through his hair.

"Because you were lazy!" Patience smacked Chris' shoulder. "You somehow brought Aunt Prue from the past…" Patience started to stare at the page and then snapped her eyes up to her Aunt.

"You are from the past?" Patience clarified.

"Oh she's definitely the Prue from the past." Cole commented from his corner starring onto the scene amused.

"How do you know?" Patience asked him impatiently as he appeared at her side.

"If she were a ghost or present spirit she would know exactly what is going on. Her confusion aside from the fact that I recognize that outfit means she is from the past." Cole argued. Patience studied the jean and fancy top outfit that her aunt was wearing, it reminded her of so many of things that her own mother wore.

"I'm pretty sure I'm from the past," Prue was confirming as she was starring at the boxes in one of the corners of the attic. There was some clearly marked with years that were more recent to the young people in the room and in a distant future for the old charmed one.

"If I'm you're aunt… you're Piper and Phoebe's kids?" Prue asked starring at Chris and Patience in particular. The two of them nodded and Henry remained quietly behind Prue, not wanting to bring attention to himself being a son of a fourth and still unknown sister to his oldest aunt. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his expression was weary. There was no doubt he was thinking about how he could be on the other side of the world, far away from the trouble his cousins always seemed to drag him into.

"Maybe we can send her back before anyone notices?" Patience started flipping through the pages of the book.

"There is another spell that can take me back to my time, I've used it before." Prue nodded as she moved to search the book herself. "So why exactly were you trying to time travel? That is some serious magic and you look a little young to be trying it, I can't imagine that Piper or Phoebe would allow the risk…" Prue pushed her black bangs back instinctively as she partially lectured Chris.

"They don't really know what we're doing, but maybe we shouldn't say too much you know future consequences and stuff like that." Chris mumbled. Prue shrugged holding back the urge to snappishly point out that she hadn't really been told anything as of yet.

"You are probably right, but what kind of information were you looking for? I mean you cast the spell for a reason…" She stopped tentatively on a page that caught her attention about the demon Shax. She had been discussing him just this morning with her sisters but there was more information on this page than the one she had seen this morning. But Patience recognizing the demon on the page quickly pushed Prue and flipped forward a few dozen pages away from the page identifying her aunt's killer. Chris meanwhile was starring anywhere but at his aunt's eyes.

"I think there is a demon that you all have faced before that might have something to do with what's happening to my cousins." He said vaguely. But Prue had refocused her attention to the book as she thought she spotted the spell she needed.

"Stop that's it." Prue placed her hand firmly on the book and the three of them stared down at the spell.

"It's a power of three spell." Chris frowned.

"Well remember my theory?" Henry jumped towards the book. "If the three of us say it, it should work just like the power of three."

"Well let's hurry and try, Mom is going to be home any second." Chris said urgently as he glanced out the window to the street.

"Ok Aunt Prue you stand in front of us, and Henry come over here so you can read the spell too." Patience commanded as she took Prue's place directly over the book. Chris stood to her right and Henry joined her on the left, while Prue stood in front of the podium.

"Magic is not a toy, try and remember that?" Prue commented as she smiled at her future family.

"Yes ma'am." The three of them said in unison. "Please let this work," Chris whispered to himself crossing his fingers in a childish attempt to control the situation.

"A time for everything and to everything its place. Return what has been moved through time and space." The three cousins recited the spell perfectly together but nothing happened.

"Maybe if I said it with you?" Prue suggested.

"That might help the spell work." Cole nodded smiling in spite of the tension in the room. It had been a very long time since he had been in the attic of the manor and an even longer time since he had helped charmed magic accomplish any good. Prue moved to stand next to Chris.

"Ready?" She asked the young people. They all nodded and taking a collective deep breath the group chanted the spell again. But Prue was still standing next to Chris.

"Maybe we should call Wyatt." Henry suggested.

"He's going to be so mad at you." Patience moved away from Chris, as if the distance would keep her from Wyatt's wrath.

"Why would we call him?" Chris demanded crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Maybe his power could help, maybe more power would help the spell work. Like aunt Prue said, time traveling is serious stuff." Henry shrugged.

"Who is Wyatt?" Prue asked.

"My older brother." Chris responded to her before moving to argue with Henry. "I brought her here alone. Why should I need any help sending her back?"

"Because it's a power of three spell, and it's not working with just us. Unless you want to call our moms in?" Henry spat back. Chris lost some of his resolve at that statement and let out a huffy sigh.

"Fine. WYATT!" Chris shouted at the room more angrily than necessary.

"Remember you think this is right, you were trying to solve a problem without Wyatt's help." Kron was encouraging Chris, an invisible source of confidence and rebellion for the boy. Kron had been silently watching, breathing in the air of spirited failure that only youth can emit. But when the color and resolve seem to be draining out of Chris' face the young man stepped in to help restore his faith.

"WYATT!" Chris called again annoyed that he had to call for a Calvary at all.

In a space that just seemed to exist without walls or foundation, outside of mortal time and space. High above the city of San Francisco with a view that seemed to move based on moods is where Wyatt Halliwell was spending his afternoon. Wyatt's white hands were working to re-button a blue plaid shirt while dark coffee hands expertly maneuvered to un-button. The young Halliwell was practicing an extreme amount of self-control as he tried to gently push Anka away from his body.

"Come on, they are calling." Wyatt almost begged.

"They can wait five more minutes." Anka sketched the number five onto Wyatt's bare chest.

"No, I don't think they can. But I'm going to orb to check on them and when I come back we can finish our coffee and get my car?" Wyatt grabbed hold of her wrists now to keep her from removing his shirt.

"Fine," Anka pouted. "If you don't come back fast enough, I'll summon you back." She warned stepping away from him. Anka flipped her hair and went to lie dramatically on her Egyptian styled bed. Her dark hair tumbled off the edge of it and she draped her arm over her forehead in mock exhaustion.

"No you won't. And I will be back, so relax." Wyatt rolled his eyes as he buttoned his shirt back up. Anka had wasted no time pretending to be non-magical since their first interaction. Actually the girl had appeared at Magic School establishing her connection to good magic and disposing any threat Wyatt might feel from her immediately. The twice-blessed youth had accepted her appearance and her magic, though he instinctively knew she was no ordinary witch. Anka had not explained what kind of magical being she was; on the contrary she barely acknowledged that she was anything but a beautiful teenage girl attracted to him. The attraction to Anka was undeniable and Wyatt felt instantly comfortable and confident around her. Though he knew he should discover what exactly she was before pursuing more of a relationship, he didn't feel inclined to do the research and instead relayed on his gut feeling.

It had always been Chris that studied and researched the book of shadows, not Wyatt. But the older brother was not about to tell his neurotic younger brother about this girl. Also currently there seemed little chance that Wyatt was even going to explain his magical friend to his parents. Unless it was a kid from magical school or a known magical creature, Piper and Leo were weary of magical friends. In their defense, experience had proven that magical beings befriending their children were usually trying to kill them or turn them evil. So until he was absolutely certain he could prove Anka's goodness, Wyatt was going to keep her identity and her powers a secret from his overprotective jumping to conclusions family.

Today the original plan had been to meet for coffee and maybe take a tour of the city, with Wyatt driving. But upon arriving at the coffee house, Anka had decided she wanted to show him where she lived. They had spent most of their afternoon playing pool and lounging around the large exquisite white marble room that Kron and Anka called home.

Wyatt felt a magical tug again, sensing that Chris was anxious about something.

"I'm coming!" Wyatt grumbled back angrily to the tug. "I'll meet you back at the coffee house in twenty minutes?" Wyatt asked looking over at Anka.

"Are you sure you don't want to just come back here?" She smiled mischievously.

"I'm sure." Wyatt laughed. "We won't have much time anyway and I promised my mom that I would bring her back one of those lattes she loves so much."

"Oh all right," Anka said as the tall blond youth disappeared in white lights.

Wyatt appeared instantly in the attic of the Halliwell Manor. Ready for a fight his arms were up and he was on the defense but he found nothing more than his brother, cousins and a familiar woman standing near the book of shadows.

"Aunt Prue?" Wyatt stared at the woman confused. It was hard not to recognize his aunt from her pictures around the manor and in the history books. Her image had been present his entire life and there was no mistaking the Halliwell face.

"Wow you look a lot like Leo, and loving plaid must be a hereditarily trait." Prue commented as she studied Wyatt. Wyatt's blue eyes narrowed at Chris who was pacing nervously behind the book of shadows.

"What did you do?" Wyatt demanded of his younger brother. Cole chuckled quietly in his corner. Halliwell siblings were the same no matter what generation they were from.

"Look I was trying to travel back in time to check something out and I don't know what happened. Obviously I didn't travel back, so much as brought her forward…" Chris mumbled. Wyatt had taken steps forward and Prue was circling around him, taking in every aspect of his appearance.

"You're Piper and Leo's son." Prue stated more than asked, knowing that this tall blond youth had to be a product of her younger sister's marriage to their white lighter. Wyatt nodded, as he kept moving towards Chris. The brothers seemed to be dancing with each other with every step that Wyatt took forward Chris bounced slightly out of reach.

"Wyatt it was an accident, I don't understand how it happened." Chris was saying defensively as he ducked behind the old dollhouse replica of the manor.

"If this was some lame attempt to get your powers back, I swear I'm going to kill you myself." Wyatt was grumbling as he followed his younger brother around the attic trying to catch him. Patience and Henry had slithered onto the couches and were trying to stay completely out of the brotherly argument. Prue still stood dazed in the middle of the room watching her two nephews running around the attic.

"Powers back?" Prue echoed as she now turned her focus to Chris. It wouldn't have been the first time that one of the Halliwell brothers had foolishly put themselves in harms way to trigger their powers returning to them before their mother's designated time. Both boys had tried to summon demons to themselves and though they had been successive at the attempts, it had never ended well. Wyatt thought that they had learned their lesson about just waiting it out when their powers were temporary bound. Apparently that did not seem to be the case with Chris.

"No, I was trying to figure something out. Wyatt! You remember those boys that the girls are seeing? Well I think they are demons and they might be connected to…" Chris was trying to explain as Wyatt grabbed the collar of his t-shirt. The older and taller teen pulled the scrawnier boy to him forcefully.

"Chris really? That's the best story you can come up with, mom is going to kill you." Wyatt shook his brother a bit. His brown hair tumbled into his eyes and his hands curled into fists in anger.

"It's not a story. And I just need you to help us with this spell that isn't working…" Chris argued trying to shrug himself out of Wyatt's grasp.

"You know what, I'm not dealing with this. There is no demon; Aunt Prue is not going to hurt you. Mom might but this is your mess Chris, I'm not going to cover for you." Wyatt said resolutely as pushed his brother away from him forcefully. "I'm going to finish my date, I'll talk to you all later. But try to come up with a better story." With that Wyatt disappeared into white lights as quickly as he had come.

"But the demons," Chris whined a bit after his brother's orbs. He slouched back over to the book and slammed his fist impatiently down on the crinkled pages. Patience sighed and gave Chris a pitiful look before coming over to stand by him.

"I didn't think blond boy had it in him to do that. He's been taking the wrap for you for years." Cole laughed suddenly. Chris burned his green eyes at the man, now standing near the scrying table.

"How long have you been watching us?" Chris demanded of him. Patience hit Chris in the shoulder and mumbled warningly to him.

"They can't see him."

"Who can't we see?" Henry demanded again staring at the spot where Chris was focused.

"I've been around since he was born, though I was alive back then. Sort of anyway." Cole shrugged. "That's what I've been trying to explain…"

Prue was rubbing her temples, trying to soothe a headache that was developing quickly. All she had wanted to do today was take a few dozen pictures at the beach, no demons and no magic just a break from outrunning the source. Apparently that had been too much to ask for and now she was somewhere in the future.

"You're Piper's son too?" Prue asked with her eyes still closed but everyone understood that she was speaking to Chris. Chris pushed his hands over his face in frustration as he nodded the color seemed to drain from his cheeks. Kron couldn't help this much, he had no understanding of why the magic wasn't working. So instead his blue eyes just studied everything around him, the classic observer of the world.

"Piper is going to kill you." Prue gave him an amused look of pity. "But at least when she gets here we can try the spell with the actual power of three, no offense to you kids."

"Some taken." Chris replied bitterly. He sunk down onto the windowsill and slummed against the glass. Patience started pacing along the edges of the worn out rug in the center of the room, Cole had moved to trailing behind her thoughtlessly. Henry was now flipping thoughtlessly without purpose through the book of shadows. Prue was studying the bookcase with the magical research books, potions and ingredients.

"So you're Chris?" Prue asked looking over her shoulder.

"Yeah, you're soon to be dead nephew." Chris cradled his chin in his hands, hunching his shoulders forward as his elbows rested on his knees.

"And you two are?" Prue turned around.

"Should we really be telling you anything if we're going to be sending you back?" Henry tapped his long fingers impatiently on the edge of the podium. Prue smiled and shrugged.

"I'm going to have to cast a memory spell anyway, because as far as I knew we only had girls. And wasn't Piper suppose to have a girl?" Prue demanded of Chris.

"She does. My sister Melinda." Chris sighed.

"Chris, I don't think we should…" Henry started.

"Look you pulled me out of my time, brought here some what seventeen years into my future." Prue crossed her arms looking at the young people expectedly.

"Actually it's not your future." Henry blurted out. Chris kicked the back of his younger cousin's knee causing Henry to fall forward. Stumbling into the podium, he automatically was engulfed in white orbs and he reappeared on the other side of the attic as far from Chris has he could manage in the same room. Patience had shot her hands out to freeze the Book of Shadows before it hit the ground.

"That is our magical heritage you just tumbled into." Patience snapped as she scooped up the book and Henry lifted his chin to stand the podium upright again.

"Not my future?" Prue had her black eyes focused on the young Henry.

"Aunt Prue," Chris stood up and started walking towards her.

"I'm dead." Prue said without question again with only a hint of sadness. She understood why there had been so much confusion when she had appeared.

"She was always quick to accept things." Cole commented, now standing near the windows looking longingly at the book. "Is there really a whole chapter on me?"

"This is not the time Cole." Patience snapped at him, lovingly stroke the book as she carefully placed it back on the podium.

"Cole?" Prue snapped her attention to Patience, as Chris put his hand on her shoulder tentatively.

"That's sort of why I brought you here." Chris mumbled.

"Who is Cole?" Henry asked still not moving from his side of the room.

"A demon that Phoebe was dating." Prue stated.

"Mom dated a demon? You are a demon?" Patience glared at Cole like a wounded animal.

"I was a demon." Cole pointed out. "Which you're boy over there already told you."

"And the source of all evil." Chris spat.

"He was the source of all evil?" Prue said startled. "I knew we should have killed him."

"Tell her that they did. Twice." Cole gave Chris a charming smile as he held up two fingers.

"So you're a ghost?" Patience demanded.

"No." Cole shook his head sadly.

"He's dead? Then why exactly did you bring me here, and why did you bring me here? Wait, if I'm dead then the power of the three is dead and that's why you need me?" Prue nodded to herself grasping at trying to understand why her future family needed her.

"The power of three isn't exactly dead." Henry commented.

"Shut up." Chris snapped at his cousin.

"What do you mean, you know what, I need someone to explain what is going on right now." The glass bottles behind Prue all shattered.

"She has a temper." Cole laughed. The sounds of a car pulling into the driveway, door slamming shut and Piper calling out to Leo.

"Your mom's home." Patience's voice had gone up an octave and she ran away from the window towards Henry.

"Shit, shit. If I could orb…" Chris was mumbling.

"We can. Love you cuz." Patience gave him a little wave.

"Good luck." Henry nodded as he orbed out with Patience.

"That was sort of rotten." Cole commented. "I'm going to stay and watch this though."

"Cowards. I hate all of you." Chris groaned.

"This is our cue." Kron turned and stared at Navya who was still watching. He flipped his hands over his head, conjuring a pair of snazzy sunglasses to fall over his eyes. He stepped out into the air, through the attic wall and presented his hand to Navya.

"Why do we have to go?" Navya's dark eyebrows knitted together.

"I don't like to deal with parents often. They taint my reading on the youth." Kron shrugged and leaned over to kiss Navya's pearl cheek. A rose color patched onto her cheeks and she let herself be shimmered away with Kron.

"You brought me here. You can't hate me." Prue pointed out.

"Christopher, you better not be the one in the attic?" Piper shouted up the back staircase.

"You wouldn't maybe hide from my mom for me?" Chris smiled sweetly at his aunt, hoping that his boyish charmed that usually helped with Phoebe would work on Prue.

"And hiding would help us how?" Prue demanded.

"It would keep me alive for just a little while longer, until I can convince Wyatt and Melinda to help me send you back." Chris begged.

"What if that doesn't work?" Prue demanded.

"Please? I really don't want mom to kill me." Chris slapped his hands together pleading and ready to grovel if he had too. There were steps coming up the stairs rather quickly and Chris threw himself onto his knees.

"You would be my favorite aunt ever." Chris begged. Prue sighed and nodded slouching down behind and out of sight behind the couch as Piper burst into the room.

"Hey mom." Chris popped up from his knees and standing up straight. He nervously used his hand to grab hold of his other arm, as he gave his mother a stiff wave.

"Christopher, am I going to have to magically confine to your room?" Piper growled at her son.

"I was just looking around up here." Chris shifted his weight uncomfortably under his mother's gaze. Piper examined the room she took steps towards the book.

"Why did you move this?"' Piper demanded as she pushed her body against the podium to move it back again.

"You have to remember that they spend a lot of time up here. Wait until she notices the glass." Cole commented, smiling as he watched Piper.

"I was looking at the book, I was startled by the thunder and you know fell into the book and the podium moved." Chris said quickly. Piper stepped around the podium, the clinking of her heels being the only noise in the attic.

"What were you looking at?" Piper asked starring down at the book.

"I was just doing some research, can't use my magic might as well learn about it." Chris shrugged flashing his perfect smile innocently.

"You've always liked this book, sometimes it's what gets you into trouble." Piper sighed as she looked down to see what page the book was open on. Suddenly the book started flipping magically in front of Piper.

"Why is it doing that?" Chris demanded nervously.

"Someone thinks my son is hiding something from his mother." Piper looked at him expectedly. "Want to explain before the book does?"

"Come on guys!" Chris shouted at the ceiling. The book stopped suddenly and Piper looked down.

"TIME TRAVEL. You were going to time travel?" Piper's arm waved up and some of the boxes that were pushed up against the wall exploded.

"Mom," Chris ducked his head.

"Christopher Perry Halliwell you were trying to time travel?" Piper was furious and another set of boxes exploded.

"Piper what is going on?" Leo asked from the doorway.

"You're son. Oh you're son." Piper started pacing angrily unable to speak more.

"Chris?" Leo asked looking over at his son.

"I didn't time travel, see still here mom." Chris gave another confined wave, as his hand was still grasping his arm tightly. Understanding dawned on Leo's face over why his wife had become so angry.

"You did something and it involved that spell Christopher," Piper was tapping her foot impatiently.

"Piper calm down before you blow up something you regret." Leo sighed patiently.

"Tell your son to start talking." Piper waved her hand towards Chris. The young man ducked again, holding his hands over his head protectively.

"Mom?" Wyatt orbed in behind his father in the attic holding two coffee cups.

"There are stairs." Piper rolled her eyes. "Do you know what your little brother was doing?" Now turning her maternal gaze on her oldest. Wyatt shrugged.

"I wasn't here when he did it and I didn't ask many questions. But I brought Aunt Prue a latte." Wyatt held up the two cups of coffee as a peace offering to his mother.

"Aunt Prue, why would you be brining a latte to your dead aunt?" Piper's eyes popped open as she stared back and forth from her two sons.

"Wyatt." Chris groaned rubbing the back of his neck. He held out a hand to the crouching Prue, giving up any attempts to hide her any longer. Prue took the hand and lifted herself up to standing position.

"You sound like Grams, every time she caught me doing something wrong. She'd always call me Prudence when I was in trouble." Prue smiled.

"Prue," Piper had moved away from the podium.

"Hey you." Prue tried to laugh as Piper flung her arms around her older sister. "So I died a long time ago?" Prue tried to keep her voice steady. Piper pulled away and wiped her a few tears from her cheek.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see you but…" Piper turned around to face her son's green eyes.

"You," Piper grabbed her son's ear quickly. "What were you doing?"

"That hurts." Chris whined.

"I'll let go when you explain." Piper tugged on his ear a bit, bringing her tall son down a notch.

"Mom. I just, I was trying to," Chris whined.

"He was trying to go back in time and he screwed it up." Wyatt sighed unable to watch his little brother struggle with his mother.

"Probably because of the protection enchantment on the attic. When Chris said this spell, the protection kept him from traveling back. But the intent of the magic found a way to still get Chris what he needed, so instead of traveling back the magic brought the past here. But what exactly were you looking for?" Leo had wandered over to the book as he was explaining his theory to the room.

"You've aged, I thought white lighters didn't age. Did you give up your wings for Piper?" Prue giggled.

"Something like that," Leo frowned at Prue.

"What kind of protection is there on the attic?' Wyatt asked looking around for crystals.

"Shouldn't we concentrate on sending aunt Prue back, it was an accident that she came forward anyway. And what if we're keeping her from something important?" Chris whined again.

"You know you're grounded until you're 30?" Piper sighed. "But he's probably right. We're going to need the power of three,"

"Well I'm going to take a shower, Prue not being a demon and all" Leo cleaned off some grease from one of his hands.

"Maybe if you didn't spend all your time on that old car, you could have been watching your son and making sure he stayed out of the attic." Piper let go of Chris and wagged a finger at her husband.

"Piper, he's not a toddler. I thought I could trust him to stay out of magic for the afternoon," Leo gave Chris a disappointed look before walking out of the attic. "But I'll call Phoebe to come over, Prim's game should be over."

"These have gotten cold," Wyatt held out the two cups he had walked in with. "And Aunt Paige should be here soon, she called me earlier to tell me she would drop Melinda off." Wyatt commented.

"Who's Paige?" Prue wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"Oh honey. Why don't we go heat these up and I have some of your favorite brownies in the kitchen." Piper started walking out of the attic.

"I love those brownies." Prue smiled.

The two sisters moved out of the attic and left Wyatt and Chris standing in their wake. Wyatt crossed his arms as he threw himself onto the couch and stared at his younger brother.

"So what the hell is going on?" Wyatt demanded.

"The girls are dating demons, I'm almost sure Wy. And I think they might be connected to this old demon that Phoebe use to date…" Chris started.

"Look kid, they are dating demons but you need to stop wasting your time on me. Because I have nothing to do with the demons they are dating, I would never do anything to them." Cole sighed.

"What demon and why would you think that?" Wyatt frowned.

"Well see Patience cast this spell…" Chris started.

"You two and the spell casting. If you really thought they were demons why didn't you wait for me and we could do some recon before you went and cast spells. And time travel? You know how touchy mom is on the time travel with you," Wyatt sighed.

"I was six when I tried to check out the dinosaurs and I'm never going to live it down." Chris groaned.

"I conjured a dragon when I was a baby and Aunt Paige is never going to let me forget it." Wyatt shrugged.

"Wyatt, Chris I want you both sitting in this kitchen where I can see you!" Piper called up the stairs.

"I'm sure I will be seeing you again soon." Cole winked at Chris but disappeared instantly into thin air. Chris rubbed his forehead, knowing that if Cole was still a demon that he would have a signature type form of disappearing.

"She's going to lock us up and throw away the key thanks to you." Wyatt rolled his eyes as he grabbed Chris arm and orbed them downstairs. As the two boys entered the kitchen, Paige had sprinted into the back door with Melinda trailing behind her.

"What is the big emergency, Henry is possibly going to kill Dora before we get home. My daughter has decided to become a thief." Paige was hurriedly before noticing Piper wasn't alone in the kitchen.

"This is Paige then?" Prue asked as she was slipping her latte. Paige stared at Prue for a second before starting to rub her eyes repeatedly.

"You look an awful lot like Prue…" Paige said as she moved her hands away.

"Aunt Prue?" Melinda said curiously.

"Oh Piper she's beautiful." Prue looked at her niece lovingly. "She looks so much like you did in high school."

"It is Prue?" Paige kept blinking still not believing who was sitting in the kitchen.

"And you're my little half sister, I hear you were as much of a handful as Phoebe was." Prue commented.

"How did this… are we having a family reunion? She's not a ghost, is something going on that I don't know about?" Paige demanded.

"She's from the past." Piper said as she bite into one of her brownies.

"You," Paige glared at Chris.

"How do you know it was me?" Chris demanded.

"You and the time travel." Paige shook her head.

"What's this about Dora?" Piper asked.

"Well that's not as important as whatever we're doing about this, what are we doing about this?" Paige asked.

"We are waiting for Phoebe to send her back." Piper shrugged.

"Well it was nice meeting you Aunt Prue," Melinda gave her aunt a smile before disappearing up the stairs. "I have to go call someone."

"Is she really seeing someone?" Wyatt demanded of his aunt Paige.

"She seemed to be interested in the older brother of the girl that Dora got into trouble with. Henry wasn't happy about getting the phone call from the pier security." Paige turned towards the window and waved at Henry to leave. Her cell phone rang and Paige answered it.

"Look something is happening that I have to stay for, I will orb home in a little bit?" Paige asked into the phone.

"You're daughter just got picked up for shoplifting, what could possible be going on?" Henry demanded.

"A little time travel problem, Chris brought Prue back from the past." Paige gave Chris a little shake of her head. Chris was too busy to notice having leaned into his brother's shoulder to whisper mumbled information to him about Melinda and this boy.

"Prue your oldest sister?" Henry responded.

"That would be her. So I'll see you in a bit?" Paige smiled sweetly at him through the window. The phone call ended and the attention was back at the breakfast table, Paige pushed herself to sit up on the counter and grabbed a lollipop from her pocket.

"When did you come from?" Paige asked suddenly.

"No time in particular, I mean about two days ago we saved Phoebe from becoming a Banshee forever." Prue shrugged hoping that would give her sisters a timeline.

"We have to send her back, sooner rather than later." Piper forced a smile though Prue recognized the sadness in it immediately she didn't say anything about it.

"Piper? Paige?" Phoebe was calling from the main foyer. "Are there brownies, I love Piper's brownies!"

Trudging in wearing her team mom shirt, reading over a section of the paper as she walked into the kitchen.

"So what was so important?' She asked without looking up.

"Phoebs?" Prue said startled to see how much her youngest sister had aged.

"Prue?" Phoebe dropped the paper and her voice hit a pitch it hadn't hit in years.

"You're all grown up." Prue smiled at her.

"And you're still in your twenties, Chris what did you do?" Phoebe's wide eyes stared at her nephew. Chris slammed his head onto the table a few times repeatedly.

"Stop doing that." Piper frowned.

"Own up to it already, time travel and they know it wasn't me that was stupid enough to do it." Wyatt laughed grabbing the scruff of Chris neck to pull his head back up.

"You look like a trouble maker." Prue nodded at him. "And I just meet you."

"Oh he is." Paige and Phoebe said at the same time. Chris struggled to pull his neck out of Wyatt's grip to hit his forehead onto the table again.

"Just kill me now." He moaned.

"Stop being so dramatic. We're going to fix this and then you're grounded until your 30 so enjoy this human contact." Piper winked at him.

"Did you try time traveling in the attic?" Phoebe asked as she moved to pat Chris on the head. Chris was almost obviously Phoebe's favorite nephew as much as Wyatt was noticeably Paige's favorite.

"Why is there a protection charm?" Wyatt asked his aunt.

"Phoebe don't answer that. Wyatt why don't you go get the book?" Piper pointed up to the attic. Wyatt shrugged nonchalantly and orbed away letting go of Chris neck suddenly slammed his head back into the table. Phoebe ran her fingers through his hair caringly.

"You shouldn't do that sweetheart." Phoebe sighed.

"Stop mothering him. He knows he should have known better." Piper snapped.

"I really can't get over how much you sound like Grams." Prue laughed. Wyatt reappeared after a moment carrying the ancient book in his arms.

"I really wish you wouldn't orb to do that." Piper shook her head as she received the book from her son. Setting the book down at the kitchen table, it opened automatically to the time travel spell.

"Ready?" Piper asked all her sisters.

"Maybe you girls should form a circle around me and then say the spell? Just to make sure we have all our power going into it." Prue suggested jumping to stand in up in-between the table and the counter.

"You were always bossy." Piper mumbled under her breath as she titled her head slightly to make sure that Paige did as Prue suggested. Paige lifted her eyebrows slightly as she stared at Phoebe but moved to stand behind Prue. Phoebe gave Prue a quick hug before falling into place in the circle.

"We've missed you Prue." Phoebe sighed trying not to cry.

"I saw you're daughter earlier, she had your smile." Prue smiled warmly. Chris was waving his hand mockingly cutting his throat to warn Prue not to say anything else.

"You saw my daughter, which one?" Phoebe frowned surprised.

"If Chris brought her back, take a guess which one." Paige popped her lips.

"Patience." Piper and Phoebe said together.

"I swear you two can't seem to do what you're told." Phoebe laughed to herself a bit as she winked at Chris.

"Stop encouraging him." Piper snapped.

"OK, anytime you guys want to send me back now." Prue said impatiently. The charmed ones stood around their oldest sister and clasped their hands together.

"A time for everything and to everything its place. Return what has been moved through time and space." They chanted in a perfect union, almost like a short song in perfect harmony. Chris and Wyatt watched their aunts and mother perform the spell, not until recently had they even been allowed to be in the room when spells were chanted. Piper had kept them well protected against the bulk of the battle and actual crafts, outside of teaching in a control atmosphere. It was still a fascinating to the boys to watch the power of the charmed ones.

But after a few minutes, Prue still stood in the middle of the circle.

"Are you suppose to say it more than once?" Wyatt questioned.

"No." All four sisters responded.

"Is there a protection bind in the whole house?" Chris wandered.

"No." Piper snapped.

"Chris cast the spell to bring here her? Maybe he has to send her back?" Paige wandered aloud.

"I tried," Chris was shaking his head.

"But in the attic, where the spell wouldn't work. Why is there a enchantment and that must take a hell of a lot of power." Prue commented.

"You know let's try this now. Let's go… You're going to help Christopher." Piper leaned over the table to grab hold of his hand. She tugged on him to get him to walk around the table reluctantly and take a place in the circle next to Piper and Phoebe.

"Try to get the timing right with us?" Phoebe encouraged. Chris nodded and the group tried again to say the spell. But nothing happened again, Prue remained standing in the middle of the group.

"It's a possibility that she can't go back until she does whatever Chris needed her to do." Leo sighed as he walked into the kitchen.

"This is just great." Piper growled as she moved away from the group and started clanking around the cupboards.

"So what did you need?" Phoebe swung her arm around Chris shoulders.

"There is no way that it's going to be that simple." Leo laughed.

"Wyatt, Chris is going to be bunking in your room. Both you boys can go get that ready." Piper said over her shoulder as she climbed to get another bowl.

"Mom," Chris started.

"No. Don't you go mom me, go on with both of you. You're aunt Prue has to sleep somewhere. I don't want to see either of you until dinner. And Chris, I swear you're room better be clean." Piper warned as she moved to pull out raw ingredients from the refrigerator.

"I'd love to stay and see what angry Piper cooks up, but I have a daughter to lecture." Phoebe gave Prue another hug. "I feel like I'll see you later, maybe you can meet my cupid."

"I have a little felony of my own I have to save from her parole officer father." Paige also nodded. "Orb you home?" She asked Phoebe. Phoebe nodded.

"See you Piper, love you!" Phoebe and Paige said at the same time as they disappeared.

"They always run out on her when she's mad?" Prue asked Leo.

"She can be a little testy these days and its only worse when she's mad at the boys. Phoebe thinks she starting to react to the concept of empty nest…" Leo nodded as he plucked a piece of cheese off the kitchen counter.

"Stop talking to Phoebe about me, her psycho babble is starting to get on my nerves." Piper grunted as she started forcefully chopping up some vegetables.

"Phoebe still uses that education she finally got herself?" Prue asked amused.

"She actually has a few degrees now. She went back to school to make herself more credible for her column in the paper." Leo picked up the newspaper on the table and handed it to Prue.

"Little floating Phoebe writes for the paper?" Prue looked impressed.

"Imagine." Piper nodded wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

"And you?" Prue asked. And that's how the rest of the evening was spent with the sisters catching up on what life had been like for the last twenty years.


	9. The Dark Side of Passion

Happy Halloween! ((And you never know the next chapter might be up soon, the plot is starting to move very quickly here))

**The Dark Side of Passion **

The lights were dimmed and a white glow emitted softly from the ancient TV set at the front of the room. The library was full of impatiently rustling 8th graders, most not even pretending to pay attention to the old-fashioned science video about geography. Some students were dutifully trying to do homework, reading or writing in the small light of the dark day and the television set. Others had their small ear buds stuffed into their ears and hoods up as they listened to their latest play list. Still others were playing games or text messaging on their cell phones hiding them discreetly under the tabletops. Many were napping or daydreaming, but no one was too concerned over how sedimentary rock was formed.

Sitting at the second table closest to the door Melinda had her chin resting lightly on one of her hands, as she stared lovingly out the window. Her phone vibrated quietly and she sneakily slipped it into her sleeve as she lifted it from her pocket to examine the text message. Bringing the hand up to her face she tugged on the sleeve only slightly and used her thumb to bring the message onto the screen.

_Pick you up today?_ Javin had sent her. The message sent a shock through Melinda's body and her painted red blood lips parted creating a mischievous smile. Behind her Julian had leaned forward when he noticed the aura around her had changed.

"Halliwell, is it true that you're cousin is the one that broke the window this morning?" He harshly whispered. His dark hands were playfully gripping the front edge of the table as he pulled his body forward and the chair slightly up onto the front legs.

"I don't know." Melinda snapped frowning at the boy interrupting her moment. In fact it was true, just that morning Tricia while being swung around passionately by Adam had clumsily knocked something into one of the windows causing the glass pane to shatter instantly. Hence the reason the science classes were being held in the library instead of the usual classroom, as school officials were trying to repair the glass. The Halliwells and Mitchells were starting to create quite a buzz on the middle school campus.

"Apparently Adam had her in some kind of compromising position and made her trip, is what I heard anyway." Julian smacked his lips noisily. Melinda kept her back to him completely as she slipped her phone back into her pocket but he quickly shot his arm out to grab her hand. No one in the dark room could have noticed that his chair was slightly floating above the ground.

As this movement happened Penelope had slipped into the backdoor of the library undetected. She immediately spotted Julian's hand on Melinda's arm. The movement happened in a flash but the young witch seemed to appear out of thin air sitting on the table next to Julian.

"Trying to get Adam away from Tricia wasn't enough for you there Mels?' Penelope's voice was acidic with blame as she slapped at her cousin's arm to get it out of Julian's grasp.

"Maybe he just didn't want someone so young." Melinda shrugged nonchalantly. Julian's mouth twitched into a half smile as he rested his hand on Pen's knobby knee. His touch darken the girl's mood and she forcefully pushed Melinda forward. Melinda reacted by jolting her elbow back in a sharp enough manner to poke Penelope's side. Before either girl truly realized what was happening Melinda's open hand was catching Penelope's fist and upon impact images exploded around both of them.

_Dark stonewalls of a cave, unfamiliar, surrounded them practically swallowing them. Cloaked figures, men dressed in black, a woman with such a beautiful face it was breathtaking but her eyes were unmistakably evil. Cages, fighting, screaming but everything was in fragments and nothing made any sense in the chaos. _

Before the vision could make any sense to either girl, Julian had wrapped his strong arm around Penelope's tiny waist and pulled her off the table and into his lap. His eyes were vivid, dancing with excitement as he used his hand to remove the hair on the back of his girl's neck. Neither Melinda nor Penelope recognized the images for what they were, a foresight of future events because neither girl had ever experience their own powers of premonition.

"You three!" The teacher's voice screamed, clear now that the vision had dissolved. Melinda and Penelope turned their classic brown eyes onto the older woman that taught the science class.

"Mrs. Henderson?" Melinda prompted the teacher sarcastically.

"Detention. All week for both of you misses Halliwells, you're not even in this class Penelope." Mrs. Henderson accused. But there wasn't much more that she could do about the situation as the period bell rang loudly and Melinda ran from the library before any more punishment could be doled out. While Julian pulled Penelope up to her feet with his one arm and lead her lovingly from the room distractingly her enough to not notice that Mrs. Henderson was still chastising them.

"Sweetheart that was really hot that you came to join me in my class, but how about you go to your next class and I'll go to mine and then after lunch we can both ditch our afternoon classes?" Julian whispered to Penelope. Closing her eyes and licking her lips she shrugged and agreed as he deposited her in front of her classroom. Walking away Julian waited until he reached the end of the hallway before ducking behind a locker and rippling away.

"That was a ridiculously close call." Javin noted when Julian appeared next to him on the roof of the high school.

"I stopped them from making sense of the vision it ain't nothing to worry about." Julian's laugh rang with a sense of reckless abandon. "But you should have felt the power of it." The hunger in his words was not lost on Javin who nodded.

"Look Chris and Wyatt are suspicious. So Mr. T went and talked to our demon friends and they are going to craft some kind of magic to get us accepted by the charmed ones. If they don't suspect us anymore we'll be free for the rest of the plan to work as planned, but I'm sure that means we're going to be going home to meet mom and dad tonight. So let Adam know?" Javin commanded.

"You're in charge." Julian winked before disappearing again. Javin nodded as he dissolved into the roof, melting down into the school where he would magically alter memories and artifacts to make it seem as if he had been attending George Washington High School for the last two years. The hallways of the school were quiet for most of the afternoon, passing periods presenting a burst of noise that only lasted the five minutes before classroom doors clicked.

As Javin was magically waving himself into the baseball teams winning picture from the year before he passed through Chris. Javin rocked and hummed with the power that electrically surged within his body.

"Halliwell, batting cages tonight? We're going to start practicing soon and we want to make sure that you haven't gone soft." A broad shoulder Native American looking boy shouted over a few heads at Chris.

"Can't Phil, grounded." Chris shook his head apologetically.

"Jesus kid, you're always grounded." Phil pushed his way over to Chris and clasped his hand over Chris shoulder.

"It sure seems that way." Chris nodded sadly.

"Maybe you should learn from your older brother how not to get caught?" Phil's laugh boomed in the crowded hallway over many of the shrieking teenagers.

"Just another thing he's perfect at," Chris grumbled but Phil didn't seem to hear him.

"Maybe next week? Talk to your old man, he usually lets you out to practice. I know how much he likes that you play ball." Phil winked as he slipped away to attract the attention of a particularly lost looking redheaded girl.

"You're not going to be allowed out of the manor or magic school until Aunt Prue gets back to her time." Henry whispered as he walked past Chris.

"Really Henry I would have never guessed that." Chris spat angrily towards him before walking into his classroom. Javin had been following Chris down the hall, flicking memories into the teenagers mind with every step. As he stepped into the computer class, Javin sat himself down and snapped his fingers to make himself visible.

"Halliwell, I saved you a seat." Javin waved and Chris smiled as he slumped down into the chair next to him.

"Thanks man," Chris shrugged his backpack onto the back of the chair.

"No problem, hey did you check out what Vanessa was wearing today?" Javin struck up conversation.

"Yeah that dress sure is something to look at." Chris laughed.

"Hey man, you're sister told me that you're mom wanted me to come over for dinner tonight…" Javin played his part of nervous boyfriend well.

"She didn't mention it, but mom's not exactly thrilled with me right now. I can't believe you're into Melinda." Chris made a face before the period bell rang and the teacher started rattling off the assignment for the day. Javin's transition was complete within Chris and in turn Wyatt's memories.

The rest of the afternoon was fairly quiet on both campuses. As the afternoon bell rang freedom to all the high schoolers the elder charmed children felt anything but free. Because of the Prue time traveling debacle they were all sentenced to report to Magic School directly after school for the whole week, or however long it took to send her back. Javin and Chris were walking out of the main building towards the parking lot together jokingly shoving each other and laughing. The two reacted to each other like only old friends could and as far as Chris could remember Javin had been his friend since little league. Stepping outside towards the parking lot, Javin pulled a red beanie over his dark curls and Chris popped his sweatshirts hoodie over his messy brown locks. Javin pulled out his car keys, playfully punched Chris in the shoulder and sprinted towards his beat-up but still classically looking sports car. Chris was waving as Dervin with an arm draped over Patience's shoulders came up behind him.

"Who's that?" Dervin asked.

"That's Javin." Chris and Patience said automatically in a trance like unison.

"Who's Javin?" Dervin frowned.

"An old friend of mine, we've been playing ball together forever." Chris shrugged.

"I've never seen him before." Dervin instinctively pulled Patience closer into his body.

"Well you're fairly new to this school and being a delinquent I'm sure you haven't made too many friends." Chris gave Dervin a critical look. Dervin chuckled to himself as he nervously tugged on his knitted scarf.

"I suppose not no, that pesky foster care system had me at a different high school last semester." He responded with only a hint of bitterness. Patience smacked Chris upside the head causing his hood to fall down to his shoulders.

"Could you be a little friendlier?" She harshly whispered to him though Dervin heard every word and just smiled.

"Maybe I'll try that tomorrow. For now we've got to get going, I'm sure Wyatt is impatiently waiting for us." Chris grabbed Patience's arm and pulled her out from underneath Dervin's arm. Dervin immediately let his hand slide over her arm, clasping as her hand threatened to slip away. He charmingly ducked down and kissed the back of her hand, winking a goodbye to her he slipped his hands deep into his pockets and headed towards his car.

"Do you have to be so rude?" Patience demanded as she pushed her scarf up to cover the raising blush in her cheeks.

"I wasn't that rude." Chris argued as the two neared their car.

"You were, you're mother would have been abhorred." Patience rolled her eyes as she climbed into the back of the jeep that Wyatt and Chris shared. Though these days it seemed that it was more Wyatt's car but that was only because with Chris constantly being grounded he wasn't allowed to drive.

"Like she basically isn't already with me. You would think I was some kind of squib the way you all treat me." Chris sunk into the front seat kicking his feet onto the dashboard.

"Afternoon to you two too." Wyatt grumbled as he turned the key to start the car. Henry had already fallen asleep in the backseat.

"Why is HJ so tired?" Patience demanded as she studied her sleeping cousin.

"No idea. He passed out as soon as he climbed into the car." Wyatt tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music. "By the way, I really have to work on the last of my college applications this week. So you might have to work on this Aunt Prue thing by yourselves, maybe you'll learn a lesson out of it." Wyatt tilted his head towards Chris indicating who he thought should learn anything out of the situation.

"You really don't believe me at all?" Chris demanded.

"Did you see demons?" Wyatt sighed weary of the conversation already. The brothers had spent most of the night before discussing the possibility of the girl's boyfriends being some kind of demons. Though Wyatt agreed he didn't like the prospect of their cousins and sister dating anyone, he couldn't agree that these middle school boys were demons.

"I see Cole and he was a demon." Chris defended. Patience bit her bottom lip trying to prevent herself from getting involved in the conversation. She herself was aware that Cole had been a demon. But she had real doubts as to if he was still a demon. And even more doubtful about Chris' theory that Cole was the ringleader of the demonic dating service that her sister and cousins had fall prey too.

"No one else can see this Cole you're talking about, and tell me again why you didn't tell Mom and the aunts about him last night?" Wyatt rolled his eyes at his little brother.

"Because, he told me not to." Chris grimaced knowing his argument was full of faults.

"And you listened to the guy you think is the demon running this whole dark charade?" Wyatt blew air into his cheeks impatiently.

"I just… there was something about how he said it. I don't know I feel like I can trust him." Chris hit his head against the headrest.

"Trust the demon, you see the problem with this argument right bro? I mean, no offense buddy but it just sounds like you're trying not to fess up to something." Wyatt's expression was waiting for the rest of the explanation. Chris grumpily crossed his arms.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" He responded sulking knowing he had lost the argument.

"Look Chris, I'll help you when you tell me what we're really doing. Aside from that the aunts invited the boys over for dinner tonight and promised they would check them out. Mom is even going to grill Javin for starting to go out with Melinda, and we've known him for years" Wyatt promised hoping that this would push his brother to admit to whatever was really going on. But Chris sat sulking for the rest of the car ride home and didn't offer any more information up willingly. Patience didn't say much either as Wyatt had blatantly declared she wasn't allowed to see Dervin. He was giving Javin a chance with Melinda and the other girls a chance with their new beaus but Wyatt absolutely refused to let Patience have a relationship with a known juvenile criminal as he put it. So Patience was refusing to talk to Wyatt, it was a competition of stubbornness between the two cousins on who would falter first at this point.

Wyatt pulled the car into the manor's driveway and jumped out of the car without another word to anyone in the car. Chris angrily pulled his backpack on and got out of the car, leaving Patience to shake Henry awake.

"Something is wrong." Henry yawned as he groggily opened his eyes.

"You really like to point out the obvious there, HJ." Patience rolled her eyes as she shoved him out of the car. The four teenagers trudged up the stairs of the manor and through the magical door that had appeared in-between the first floor and the second floor of the house. Entering the endless hallway of magic school did not even faze them any longer as they headed directly to the headmaster's office.

Sitting at one end of the room, Leo was pointing down at a stack of papers animatedly talking about how to use the research on the desk to formulate a decent term paper. But the young lady was busy sneaking glances over her shoulder, starring at the lounging Prue on one of the couches.

"Wendy are you even paying attention to the advice I'm giving you?" Leo asked exasperated.

"Yes…" The girl started to respond but as her eyes meet the older gentlemen's blue eyes she shook her head. "No, but Leo is that Prue Halliwell?" She whispered the name.

Prue looked up from the mystery novel she had been reading and stared straight at the girl. Leo laughed as Wendy gasped when Prue slowly nodded and winked at her.

"But you're, wow you look exactly like your picture in the history books. You've always been my favorite charmed one." The girl rambled.

"Wendy." Leo said patiently. "You're term paper?"

Prue laughed letting her book fall closed as she rested her head on her arms over the back of the couch.

"You should listen to my brother-in-law, he's the one that got me through most of my magical scrapes." Prue smiled at Leo.

"Right of course, our Headmaster was your whitelighter." Wendy straightened up and shifted her attention back to Leo though the effort was lost as she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder nervously every few seconds.

"Wendy maybe we'll talk about this on Friday after you've finished your outline?" Leo gave up.

"Yes of course sir, how long is Prue going to be here?" Wendy asked excitedly.

"As long as it takes me little brother to send her back where she came from." Wyatt announced as he walked in. Wyatt led the group into the office looking twitching his fingers impatiently. Chris dragged himself in behind his older brother though he looked down at his feet and had his hood pulled up protectively over his head. Patience had popped in her ear buds and was bobbing her head to the music only she could hear. While Henry was stretching and yawning trying to wake himself up with every step he took.

"Oh hey Wyatt." Wendy smiled brightly and batted her eyelashes at the famously twice-blessed child of the charmed line.

"Hi." Wyatt flashed a brilliant smile for her before looking up at his father. "Hey dad."

"Wendy you're going to be late to your next class." Leo prompted his love struck student.

"Yes sir, thank you for your help. It was nice seeing you Wyatt. And it was great meeting you Miss Halliwell." Wendy gave a clumsy curtsey before tripping over her own feet to get out of the room. Chris rolled his eyes but didn't say anything to her as she goggled over Wyatt.

"Hi guys." Leo smiled at them. Patience and Chris gave a little wave, Henry nodded as he yawned again and Wyatt leaned onto his father's desk. Leo gave his oldest a questioning look and Wyatt shrugged.

"Chris is in a bad mood." He responded. "And Patience isn't talking to me."

"Ah, well…" Leo sighed looked over at Chris. Chris had slumped himself into a chair next to Prue.

"You know you're attitude isn't going to help anything." Prue was commenting to Chris quietly. Chris slightly grunted back and Leo shook his head.

"That was the fourth student that recognized me. Is it true that Phoebe has a magical underwater following because she was once a mermaid?" Prue asked delighted.

"Aunt Phoebe was a mermaid?" Wyatt and Henry asked at the same time.

"She was for a little while. And she does from everything I hear she's the popular under the sea charmed one." Leo laughed.

"It's like being a rock star, being here where the kids all ogle at me." Prue's eyes shone brightly with the prospect that at least her reputation far outlived her.

"I'm going to finish the last of my college applications in the library. Unless you wanted me to do something else?" Wyatt was pulling out only red jellybeans from a jar on his father's desk.

"No, though maybe if you finish early you can help your brother with his little magical mess over there?" Leo nodded towards Prue. Wyatt shook his head.

"I don't think so dad…" He started but one guilty glare from his father and Wyatt gave a curt nod before heading out of the room.

"I don't need Wyatt's help all the time." Chris said angrily.

"Didn't say you did buddy, but more heads are better than one sometimes. I'm off to teach Advance Magical Defenses try to stay out of trouble you three?" Leo warned sternly as he shuffled out of the room carrying a stack of books from his desk.

"I'm sure you're just as popular with the girls as Wyatt is," Prue clasped her hands over Chris' knees lovingly.

"That's never been a competitive point for the two of them." Patience laughed as she twirled her ponytail into a messy bun.

"They are both equally popular. The Halliwell Brothers are quite a catch to magical and non-magical girls alike." Henry rolled his eyes as he kicked off his shoes and sat down across from Prue. "Wildly popular All-American Football player Wyatt, and charmingly moody mysterious baseball player Chris…" The words meant to be a compliment came out sounding slightly mocking and insulting.

"Like you're any better, funny boy track star over there." Patience rolled her eyes.

"Yeah ok, homecoming princess." Henry snapped back. The popularity of the charmed cousins was a point of family jokes amongst themselves. But it was something amusing, for all their strangeness, which did not escape the eyes of their peers, the Halliwell-Mitchell bunch was very well liked. It was hard not to like them, they were good looking, and hard working, loyal and passionate about almost everything they did. Wyatt, Chris, Patience and Henry were the athletes of the family each participating within the sport of their choice on campus. While the girls: Melinda, Patricia, Pandora and Penelope were into the arts and drama departments. And it was a well-understood fact that Primrose was going to be a prom queen one day, she was a girl after everyone's hearts.

"Well you'd better start coming up with solutions to sending Aunt Prue back, not that we don't love having you here but Piper might lock Chris up and throw away the key if he doesn't at least pretend he's trying to fix his magical mess." Patience crossed her legs as she slipped to sit on the ground with her back against the couch.

"She's gotten a little more up tight then?" Prue stared at the young people. They shrugged in unison.

"Maybe, it's hard to tell when it comes to magic and her kids I think she's always been uptight." Chris sighed.

"She has us all do a lot of theoretical stuff." Patience leaned her head against her aunt's knee. Prue smiled down at her and ran her hand through the girl's hair.

"That's strange, Piper knows the best teacher is experience." Prue frowned.

"Try telling her that, she doesn't want Wyatt and I to use our powers at all." Chris shook his head.

"But you do?" Prue said knowingly.

"They've been going after demons together since they were babies from what I can gather, though Aunt Piper doesn't really know how many they've gone after on their own accord." Patience laughed.

"That's why they have the most control on their powers, the rest of us fly more blindly but I've never had a fight a demon without Chris and Wyatt there." Henry nodded.

"HJ can't even use his telekinesis correctly most of the time." Chris nodded.

"Mom says his works a little like yours did, cause he squints his eyes but he also uses his chin and not his fingers." Patience commented.

"Well why don't you," Prue pointed at Chris "Explain what exactly you were trying to do when you wanted to travel back in time and what you think this looming problem is. While Henry and I play a game of chess magically so he can practice that telekinesis of his because I have to keep exercising my powers anyway because you know the source is coming after us in my time." Prue commented. Henry stood up to get the chessboard but Prue pointed her index and middle finger and with one swoop the board came flying over.

"Practice." Prue winked at him. "So Chris?"

"Look a few days back I walked in on Patience having a conversation with an invisible friend. And her being to old to have an imaginary invisible friend, I assumed it had to be someone real she was talking to, so I cast a spell to see what she was seeing."

"Because him and Wyatt are incapable of minding their own business." Patience inserted.

"Well it's in our best interest to know what kind of trouble the rest of you are getting into." Chris stuck his tongue out at her but continued his story. "Anyway, so the spell worked so I could see this guy that I didn't recognize at the time but after some research…"

"That he did by sneaking up to the attic after Piper, Leo and Wyatt were asleep, or at least that's what he usually does." Henry added. Prue had just toppled one of the ponds on the board and Henry was squinting his eyes trying to focus. Chris glared at him.

"I won't tell them." Prue promised grinning to herself over the bickering of her nephews and niece.

"I discovered it was Cole." As soon as Chris said the name Cole appeared in the room, standing perfectly still behind the couch where Prue and Patience sat.

"Cole is my human half you know." Cole smiled.

"And so you discovered it was Cole, did you see him turn into his demonic self Balthazar?" Prue prompted.

"No. I haven't. But there are pages dedicated to him in the book so I sort of figured he was bad news." Chris let his eyes dart up to look at the invisible Cole.

"I was." He nodded.

"Anyway, I called Patience to tell her that he was bad news. Only to find out that Pat had seen Penelope wielding some powerful magic."

"But you and Wyatt seem to use your powerful magic all the time." Prue frowned.

"They're more powerful than most of us are or possibly ever will be, and maybe it's because they know how to control the powers but it's hard to tell. But they're more reckless than the rest of us, especially Penelope." Henry was tilting his head trying to get one of his ponds to move with little success.

"Why especially her?" Prue asked.

"I know you haven't meet her, but my little sister has been on a Wicca kick lately. She was very spiritual about her craft, careful and respectful of it. She didn't just flagrantly use it for anything. Honestly she didn't allow her empathy to control her much and she's really discreet with her cupid sense, she can't even control when her eyes change colors." Patience demonstrated what she meant by turning to face Prue and showing her how quickly her brown eyes transformed into pink.

"That's because you're half cupid?' Prue asked.

"Yeah, mine change based on my mood to signal love and anger. But Penelope's changed with her own moods and others moods. Also her empathy and cupid power combination give her the ability to sense loved ones through their heartbeats and her eyes turn purple when she's close to family." Patience smiled proudly.

"Wow." Prue gasped a little, her family had developed into a very powerful group indeed.

"Anyway, she was using all this magic. Doing things she can't even do, telekinesis and such." Patience provided. "So I told Chris I was worried because Cole told me that she was turning evil."

"So we went down to the pier where Pen, Tricia, Dora and Mel all were with different boys. And Cole came with us and he said they were all dating demons, well all the ones we could see. He didn't mean Javin of course. So when I got back to the manor I tried to figure out what was going on and the only logical thing is that Cole, being the powerful demon that the book says he is, was the leader of this demonic pack of guys after my cousins."

"You're sister is dating a demon too." Cole frowned slightly as Chris finished.

"No she's seeing Javin, I've known Javin since I was in little league." Chris argued.

"He's a demon that you've never known. Why do you think you've known him?" Cole asked.

"Because I do." Chris argued again. Prue not being able to hear or see Cole and not understanding the silent fight her nephew was having just started talking to bring Chris' attention back to her.

"I asked about Cole last night because you kids had mentioned him in the attic, but Piper said that they had vanquished him. She actually said they had done it twice but that the last time had definitely stuck." Prue frowned.

"Well he's standing behind you." Chris protested.

"I'm not alive." Cole provided.

"And he says he's not alive." Patience said. "And I've been talking to him for weeks and I don't think he would ever hurt my sister or cousins."

"How did you start seeing him?" Prue asked. "Maybe he's some kind of ghost?"

"I'm not a ghost either." Cole shook his head.

"Apparently not." Chris frowned as he stood up to walk around the couch.

"I cast a spell to make my mother understand my feelings for Dervin by remembering her past loves." Patience nervously clicked her tongue as she confessed her part of the story.

"Phoebe did love Cole, very much. But you two don't seem to have much luck with casting spells, maybe you should practice that?" Prue nodded as she tried to figure out the story. Chris was behind them now, trying to touch Cole but his hand just went right through the man.

"Ok, let's forget about this invisible Cole that you guys are seeing. He said that the girls are dating demons and turning them evil and you decided to time travel because you thought he was the one behind it?" Prue asked and when Chris nodded, she proceeded. "And how was traveling back in time going to help?"

"I was going to find out everything I could about Cole and how he was defeated to be able to fight against these demons." Chris said still trying to prove that Cole was standing next to him by waving his arms in front of him.

"Why didn't you just ask your mom who was there for the whole thing with Cole?" Prue demanded not understanding the huge jump in logical thought from Chris.

"Mom doesn't usually talk about past magical battles much, and she tends to not believe me about demons sometimes." Chris shrugged.

"Because he's made some of his stories up." Henry provided.

"A little like the kid who cried wolf to many times," Patience nodded exchanging a knowing look with Henry. Chris ignored them though struggling to punch into a transparent Cole though it just looked like he was fighting with air.

"Is he standing there?" Henry cocked his head to the side and examined the area in front of Chris. Chris just nodded.

"Look kid I exist in the void between life and death, as I explained to your mother years ago. It's where I have to live out the rest of eternity making up for all of my sins." Cole waved his hand through Chris to help prove his point. "If I was a ghost everyone could see me, and if I was still a demon I would have powers which I don't." Cole argued. Patience was mumbling all this to Prue and Henry as Chris just stared up at Cole's face.

"But you knew they were demons?" Chris asked.

"I was the worse demon of my time kid, demon of the 21st century. You don't get to be that unless you're pretty evil yourself, and it takes one to know one." Cole shrugged.

"He was extremely powerful demon." Prue nodded in agreement, though she hadn't heard Cole's argument.

"And she didn't even know me when I came back from the demonic wasteland, or when I was the source." Cole laughed to himself.

"You were in the demonic wasteland?" Patience turned to him surprised.

"Chris wasn't kidding when he said I was once bad news." Cole nodded at her.

"Ok but wait," Chris waved his arms in front of him. "If you're not in charge of these demons, then who are they? And if aunt Prue never even defeated you why did the time travel spell send her?" Chris crossed his arms expectantly at the demon.

"You know, what spell did you use so you could see him?" Prue demanded impatiently starring at the air in front of Chris trying to will herself to see Cole. A few of the books of the bookcase behind him were moving but he was not becoming anymore visible to her.

"Um…" Chris scratched his forehead for a second. "In this time, upon this hour. I call upon this sacred power. I shall now see what one alone can see. I command the unseen to be shown."

"So maybe if we say it," Prue nodded holding out her hand out to Henry. "Let's just change that second part to we shall now see what stands in this space." Prue suggested tweaking the spell a bit to ensure it functioned. They had to chant the spell a few times before Henry could chant in harmony with Prue. Suddenly it was as if someone had turned on a switch, Cole stood completely visible to everyone in the room now. Dressed in a blue suit today with a cream colored shirt and no tie, his hair was well kept and his face shone with a sort of happiness that could not be described. This was the first time that Cole had gotten to talk to the family he constantly stalked in over 15 years.

"Wow, you look really good still." Prue blinked a few times at Cole.

"As do you." Cole smiled back.

"But how does this work, how can we not usually see him when he's really there?" Henry demanded rubbing his eyes.

"I exist in a void. I'm a wandering spirit. It takes a lot of energy to make myself visible to anyone. And I would never let the family know that I still hang around, Phoebe wouldn't take it well and Paige would be suspicious, as I deserve. But I think Piper suspects." Cole tried to explain.

"Why do you hang around?" Prue squinted her eyes as she examined him in his well-tailored suit.

"You're family has been my family for a very long time." Cole sighed.

"Family?" They all said surprised.

"I was married to Phoebe, though in a dark ceremony that ultimately led to our fall from grace as a couple. And she lost our baby, even though the baby was barely ever ours because the seer had poisoned him with pure evil elixirs…" Cole stopped opening his eyes wide.

"My mom was married to you?" Patience jumped up in shock.

"You were the source of all evil when she was married to you?" Prue was furious. "How could you do that to Phoebe?"

"A baby that was poisoned with elixir." Chris repeated the phrase that had caught Cole's attention as well.

"These demons that are with your cousins are lower level, they don't have the power to turn such powerful witches but with elixir…" Cole nodded.

"We're sure that you're not the one in charge of these so called demons?" Henry demanded. Cole laughed heartily.

"You're mother would be proud. She never trusted me much. Though she knew when to ask for my help." Cole stared off in the distance, seeing an invisible memory play out before him.

"He would never tell us his plan." Prue shook her head.

"Maybe she's here to be on a my side." Cole smirked.

"Maybe." Prue shrugged.

"Maybe aunt Prue is here to help us with these demons, because she believes us when our mothers don't…" Patience questioned Chris.

"So after we deal with this demon problem we should be able to send her back. " Chris nodded.

"Can you help us id the demons?" Prue asked.

"They aren't in the book of shadows." Chris looked around the office at all the books.

"As far as I can tell they are some sort of group, gang maybe? There are three males and that friend of Dora's is part of their little band. So four." Cole added helpfully.

'"Javin is not a demon." Chris stamped his foot.

"Yes he is. You've never seen him before today." Cole shook his head. "That's a really powerful enchantment to make you think you've known him your whole life… that's only the kind of power usually wielded by the brotherhood." Cole frowned.

"The brotherhood, the fraternity of demons that services the source?" Prue demanded.

"There is no source." Chris argued.

"There hasn't been since, I guess you were last destroyed." Patience sucked her lips in nervously as she looked at Cole.

"The last source, not me but the one before, he was in power for hundreds of years. It would take some time to rebuild that kind of evil, but like the triad the source of all evil is a constant in the underworld. Two decades is just enough time to build a power base, and rise in time to fight the new generation of charmed witches… unless…" Cole rubbed his chin thoughtfully with one hand.

"Unless what?" Patience tapped her foot impatiently played with the tips of her hair.

"Well there is a possibility that whoever is trying to become the next source, is anticipating that he will be destroyed by you kids one day. So to be one step ahead of the game, he is planning to destroy you are at your full power base." Cole wondered the theory out loud as he began to pace.

"Wyatt is turning eighteen in nine days." Chris lost all the color in his face as he uttered the words. "They want to try to finish us off before Wyatt comes of age."

"But how can a group of demons, masquerading as middle school students, who have never even interacted with Wyatt or any of us for that matter possibly plan on bringing us down? And even more so bringing down the twice blessed child?" Henry was shaking his head.

"They have to be working with someone because Javin is a demon." Cole proclaimed resolutely.

"This is absurd." Patience shook her head refusing to believe the idea that her family was being targeted by demons. The charmed cousins understood their destinies involved demons, but they had never in their young lives experienced the type of full force operation of being attacked like their mothers had. An occasional rogue demon here and there, a few dark lighters and some foolish young demon had come after an individual cousin every few years. But after the ultimate battle the demon attacks was severely reduced, there weren't enough powerful demons left to even attempt to challenge the charmed ones. Not to mention it was clear message since the attack on the demon black market that if you messed with one of the girls' children there would be hell to pay. But the protection of innocence and youth was only going to last so much longer, a decade had passed for evil to rebuild and gain its strength. A decade had been spent by demons hiding in the dark crevices of the underworld plotting no longer to take down the charmed ones, because that was a useless cause, but to go after their powerful prodigy.

"It's not really, there were constant attacks on Piper, Phoebe and me because we were the charmed ones. From the moment we received our powers, a warlock had been pretending to be Piper's fiancé just waiting for the moment that he could steal our magic." Prue nodded slowly realizing this might be another reason she was brought forth from the past. This reality, the reality of being under siege by the dark forces of the world was something she was still familiar with while it seemed her sisters had well forgotten that part of their lives.

"Mom almost married a warlock?" Chris didn't look convinced.

"My mother married the source." Patience stared at Cole, noticing how handsome he was she didn't deny she might have done the same thing.

"This isn't going to help, if we think this might be happening. Might be." Henry said the phrase twice, trying to maintain a state of disbelief and take action at the same time. "We should try to figure out who these demons are. Study them at dinner. Cole will help us?" Henry asked.

"I will do anything in my power." Cole nodded.

"I'm going to deck this guy if he's turning my little sister evil." Henry growled furiously as he turned his attention to the shelves of books.

"We have to act normal." Patience said alarmed.

The three cousins, Prue and Cole searched the office in search for any information about a gang of demons and the looming threat that hung over their heads for the rest of the afternoon. Meanwhile down a ways of the endless hallway in the library, Wyatt sat bent over a pad of paper drawing a series of circles aimlessly in the margins. A pair of smooth toffee hands combed through his blond curls effortlessly and glided over his ears to cover his eyes gently.

"Maybe I can help you concentrate in a dorm room?" Anka's lips were pressed up to Wyatt's right ear, just enough to brush the sticky residue of lip gloss onto the lobe of his ear. Anka was wearing a pink glitter lip-gloss that loosely matched the glimmering gold eye shadow that made her face shine.

"I don't have a dorm room." Wyatt smiled as he wound his pale fingers over her wrists to pull her hands away from his face.

"But you do, silly boy." Anka giggled letting her hands be pried off his face, she leaned in further so her chin rested on his shoulder comfortably.

"I've never lived on campus, why would I have a dorm room?" Wyatt frowned as his blue irises moved to the right corners of his eyes to stare at her.

"There is a dorm room dedicated to the warren witch line, it was once used by your great grams and grandmother. Not to mention that a few of your other ancestors have used it one time or another. It's in the Warren Dormitory." Anka pouted.

"And you know this how?" Wyatt demanded.

"I know everything about you, I know for example that you're not going to fight me when I led you over there…" Anka giggled as she ran her hand down his arm and weaved her fingers into his hand very so gently. She stood with a grace that can only be described as unnatural and pulled Wyatt to his feet as she led him out of the library. The attraction between the powerful young man and the timeless youthful beauty was something magnetic; there was no denying the attraction that charged the air when they were present together.

Anka pulled Wyatt along, letting her long black hair dance around the edges of his face. She glided down the endless hallway, out into the grand courtyard and into the majestic building that housed the Warren Dormitories. Other students watched the famous Wyatt Halliwell be pulled along by the mystic beauty but none were alarmed. All the students recognized Anka even though none had seen her before; it was like a sense of understanding and deja vu washed over anyone who set their eyes on her. No one noticed that the sense of familiarity was due to the aura around the young woman, the idealized air she carried with her of young impulse and misunderstood nature.

Anka pushed a solid oak door open revealing a fancy bedroom that was reminiscent of a medieval castle's bedchamber. Along the north wall there were large extravagant windows shrouded in velvet curtains. Along the bottom of the window there was a small wooden ledge that housed a series of Warren family photographs.

"How did you know?" Wyatt started to ask but Anka didn't let him finish pressing her tropical tasting lips onto his. She let her hands twitch on Wyatt's clean pressed t-shirt, as she slipped her nose over his cheek so that she could whisper to him again.

"You seemed upset before?" She asked.

"I was…" Wyatt was trying to concentrate on his feelings, waving his hands over her shoulder to make the curtains fall closed.

"About Chris?" Anka leaped up and wrapped her legs around his torso and hung her arms effortlessly over his shoulders.

"He's on this needing to prove himself kick, I feel like we're growing apart." Wyatt nodded holding onto Anka's waist as he moved towards the windowsill to study the pictures.

"He's being competitive. That's slightly influenced by Kron. Maybe it's good for him, he reminds me so much of Mark Anthony." Anka commented but that those were the last words she said as she started kissing the tall blond again. Wyatt let himself be swept into the passion of the moment, not being worried about the idea that someone was influencing his little brother.

The afternoon passed in a series of blurs for all the charmed children. And as the first star twinkled in the winter sky above the city, each charmed one was preparing dinner in her own way. Paige was pre-heating her oven as she pulled the cardboard top of a box of frozen fish sticks. She unceremoniously dumped them onto the oven tray. Twirling around happily she pulled a pre-made salad in a bag out from the fridge and used her teeth to rip the plastic. Turning the bag over an empty red bowl, she hollered over her shoulder to get one of her children to set the table. Meanwhile Phoebe clicked on a different window of her laptop screen, a local pizza place website popped up. Clicking on a few different toppings and a crust style, she proceeded to enter her credit card number. With some easy movements of her fingers dinner would arrive in thirty minutes or less. At the Halliwell Manner on the other hand, Piper was a drizzling breadcrumbs over a tray of four cheese-baked macaroni. Chris wandered into the kitchen looking innocent.

"You made Javin's favorite." Chris smiled picking up a fork on the counter and aiming towards the tray. Piper slapped his hand making the boy drop the fork immediately.

"Dinner is in ten minutes." She laughed.

"I came down thinking I would help you set the table?" Chris smiled. Piper stared at him suspiciously.

"Are you trying to suck up to me?" She demanded.

"No, no. Of course not, can't a boy just do something for his loving mother?" Chris laughed.

"Trying to make yourself look good before you completely ruin dinner with your sister's new beau?" Leo asked as he walked into the kitchen from the dining room.

"No one says beau anymore dad." Chris rolled his eyes.

"And Chris is going to behave during dinner, this isn't just any guy. We've known Javin for years." Piper shook her head as she handed her son a stack of plates.

"Powerful dark magic is the only kind of magic that can alter memories like that." Cole stood with half his body in the kitchen and half his body in the dining room, where Prue was sitting at the table reading a small ancient looking pamphlet she had taken from magic school.

"Piper thinks she remembers him too then?" Prue mumbled quietly.

"It seems like it." Cole nodded.

"And you don't recognize these demons at all?" Prue glared at him angrily.

"No, I can't. They are really very young it's a possibility that they are new." Cole shrugged as he came out of the door of the kitchen. The doorbell rang at all three charmed residences at the same time. Javin, Julian and Adam were all very punctual demons. Javin was dressed casual in black basketball shorts and a plain red t-shirt and a black zip-up goodie over his shoulder. Wyatt was jogging down the stairs to answer the door when Melinda racing to get the door pushed her older brother into the banister.

"Melinda!" Wyatt hollered at her. But his younger sister was beyond distracted as she had swung the door open and flung herself at Javin. Javin graciously gave her a peck on the check as he maneuvered his hand around her waist.

"Could you try to show some self control, at least around Chris?" Wyatt sighed as he stepped off the last step of the staircase.

"We'll try Wy." Javin held out his fist towards Wyatt. Wyatt happily knocked his fist against Javin's before sliding his arm over Melinda's shoulder. Fitting the bill of protective older brother, Wyatt pulled Melinda away from Javin's hold. Javin lighten the sudden tension by making fun of Wyatt's inability to play football. Their laughter interrupted the bickering whispering of Prue, Chris and Cole. Chris smiled up at his so-thought old friend.

"Hey Javin, this is our cousin…"

"Charlotte." Prue inserted as she held out her hand to the young man.

"Oh, I didn't even know you guys had family in town. I'm Javin, the best pitcher in the bay area." Javin grinned at the proclamation. As they shook hands, Prue studied the young man in front of her. Aside from his darker than usual features, she couldn't find any other definitive characteristic. Honestly, Javin was a normal looking sixteen year old boy.

"He's real modest too." Chris rolled his eyes.

"Chris the table is set right?" Piper walked backwards into the dinning room carrying her steaming tray of macaroni and cheese.

"Of course it is Mrs. Halliwell, you know Chris always does what he's told." Javin swept over to the oldest living charmed one and took the tray from her hands.

"You always were a charming liar." Piper laughed as she messed up the boy's hair a bit, even though he was a head taller than her.

"I would trade my own mother for your mac n' cheese." Javin sniffed at the tray dramatically.

"This is unbelievable, it's almost seamless. I think he might even believe the lie myself." Cole waltzed around Javin, examining everything about him.

"It's not a lie." Chris gritted his teeth angrily at Cole. Though the response was normal, the emotion behind it was strangely bitter. Wyatt stared curiously at his brother not understanding why he was so angry over Javin's usual comment about their mother's cooking.

"Why don't you go check on the others?" Prue mumbled under her breath. Cole spun on his heel as he dissolved into the air and reappeared in Patience's room. Patience jumped up on her bed excitedly when he appeared.

"Where have you been?" She hissed at him.

"At the manor." Cole gave her a shocked look. "Is something wrong?"

"Can you explain to me how he's ok with them! How Penelope is so clearly dating a demon and just cause Dervin has a record, I lack judgment." Patience screeched.

"You should keep your voice down." Cole suggested as he went to peek through the door at what was infuriating the teenage girl. Julian was perched on one of the kitchen stools with Penelope's legs draped over his lap. Cole automatically took note of the color scheme that Julian was wearing. A pair of dark almost black jeans with a red and white striped polo shirt matching the colors that Javin had been wearing.

"Are those school colors?" Cole wondered as he turned to face Patience again.

"We're going to have a conversation about school spirit? When I'm freaking out because everyone thinks I'm not allowed to date my delinquent but my absolutely perfect little sister is allowed to date a demon." Patience was pacing furiously next to her bed.

"You are dating a delinquent against most of your families wishes. They don't even know you're dating him. Besides we really need to concentrate on studying these guys," Cole tilted his head cunningly towards the door trying to move Patience out of her room.

"He's here, he's charming, he's good looking and he's absolutely freaking perfect." Patience ranted. "And everyone loves him, my mother loves him. She thinks he's so sweet, and he's an honor student. And of course Penelope can do no wrong, stupid goody two shoes brat." Patience mumbled.

"You and Chris really have a complex with your siblings, you both know that right?" Cole sighed as he leaned against the wall. "Also if you get out there and prove he's a demon, then he won't be so perfect." Cole argued as he rolled his eyes. Not that he was ungrateful that he finally got to interact with the children he had been watching grow up. But Patience and Christopher, the two charmed kids that could see him, were slightly more neurotic than the others.

"Right! Demon. But you know what will happen then, I'll be the terrible older sister that had to ruin her little sister's relationship because I was jealous." Patience was now pacing in a circle in front of her vanity.

"Patience this pizza is getting cold, stop being rude!" Coop's voice boomed through the door.

"He's right you're being rude." Cole agreed. "Are you sure you're parents aren't being polite? I mean one of them has to sense that there is something wrong with this kid."

"Did Piper or Leo?" Patience stared at Cole. He shook his head slowly.

"No but there was a memory charm of some kind placed on that entire family. It might be possible that they have some kind of spell cast so that it's impossible not to like them." Cole started mumbling to himself about who could possibly have that kind of spell or magic available to them.

"I'll go do some recon work." Patience smiled and took a deep breath before walking into the main room of the loft.

"And I'm going to check to see if Paige and Henry are falling for this act." Cole dissolved again. This time he appeared standing in the middle of the Mitchell dinner table. HJ choked on his drink as he stared at the half of Cole's body.

"What is wrong with you?" Paige frowned at her son.

"I just, I'm. It was nothing." HJ gave up even coming up with an excuse as he wiped off his chin.

"Try to pretend I'm not here." Cole suggested as he studied Adam. Cole automatically noticed the white shirt and red jacket combination. Cole ducked underneath the table to check if the boy's pants were the black he was expecting. Henry knocked his fork off the table and nosily bent down to get it.

"Mom and dad are both buying this guy, but check out my sisters. They are barely talking to each other." Henry whispered to Cole before popping back up. Cole stayed there for a couple of minutes. He registered that the only similar characteristics of these demons were their wardrobes but aside from that could find something similar about them. Of course Cole could feel their demonic energy and he understood they belonged to the same faction of some kind. Adam had his hand discreetly on Tricia's knee. That's when Cole noticed that Tricia's body was slightly angled into Adam. Her face was paler than usual and she had dark circles under her eyes that almost matched her black attire.

"Has she always worn that much black?" Cole asked HJ. Munching mindlessly on a French fry HJ gave a small unnoticeable shake of his head. Cole watched as Tricia's every movement and breath revolved around or adsorbed Adam. It was like watching a drug addict. She couldn't be without physical contact as long as he was in the room. Cole directed his gaze at the sulking Dora. Strangely her demon-induced side effects were different from the other three, she wasn't as dark and consumed. She did unnaturally have a scowl etched into her face and her vibrant chocolate eyes were devoid of emotion.

"However this is happening, Dora is not as affected as Tricia. I must see how the others are…" Cole didn't finished before sweeping away. He appeared again in front of Phoebe starring over at Penelope. Penelope was even darker than Tricia, because not only was her entire outfit black but the make up she was using was also tinted darkly.

"The black, the amount of it might represent how much they've been affected." Cole mumbled.

"I probably could have told you that much." Patience rolled her eyes at him.

"I could do without your sarcasm young lady." Phoebe frowned at her oldest daughter. Phoebe had been telling a story about how she had thought Primrose might have been showing signs of power that afternoon only to discover the little girl was faking it. Cole stifled a laugh and winked at Patience.

"I'm invisible." He reminded her. Patience's eyes flared a bright red signaling her anger and the flash of her colored iris made Cole bend down to stare right at Penelope's eyes.

"When you're starring at Dervin you're eyes glitter pink." Cole commented.

"Yes." Patience pretended like she was agreeing with some thought her father had shared.

"Penelope's are blood red, a dark maroon almost. Have they ever been that color before?' Cole said his face only inches away from the young Penelope's. He noted that this girl much like Tricia seemed to nervously inhale at her date. And Pen was definitely more physical with Julian leading Cole to believe that she had been intoxicated earlier than the rest.

"Her eyes," Patience gasped dropping her fork carelessly.

"Patience." Cole groaned, the girl reminded me so much of the young Phoebe it was spectacular sometimes. She was unable to keep secrets and didn't have any tact in these kind situations.

"But… they're…" Patience blinked repeatedly as she examined her younger sister's eye color. She was in awe with herself missing something so obvious.

"Pat are you feeling ok?" Primrose tugged on her older sister's shirt.

"Try not to give anything away, I don't think they'll believe you. You're mother was always a sap for love." Cole commented.

"Everyone's but mine." Patience mumbled under her breath as Cole waved himself out of the room.

Arriving back at the manor, Cole discovered that dinner was over. He walked through walls finding Javin and Melinda still on the porch. Stepping through the doors, he watched as Javin leaned forward and rested his forehead on Melinda's forehead. Melinda stood in a trace as Javin closed his dark eyes and inhaled. Colored steam blew into Javin for a few minutes before Melinda pushed her lips on his and then Cole watched as a black smoke was blown into her through the kiss.

Without a further delay Cole leaned forward and called out for Chris or Prue. Astro Prue appeared next to him immediately.

"What happened?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

"Get her off the porch now." Cole stated simply. Prue disappeared but no sooner was she back into her physical body that the light on the porch apparently blew out. Chris ran into the room and with one overbearing older brother movement yanked his sister off the porch and into the house.

"Good night Javin." Chris stated before slamming the door shut.


	10. Playing with Fire

**Playing with Fire **

Standing alone in one of the hallways of George Washington High School, Dervin was leaning casually against a locker. Dressed in a brown leather bomber jacket with a white t-shirt and dark jeans it could only be hoped that the pale red headed rebel youth even knew the name of the actor he was silently paying homage to. After a few quiet moments of Dervin swinging a bathroom pass around two of his fingers a step of footsteps echoed from down the hallway.

The soft pattering of foam-soled cable knit boots came from around the corner as Patience came into Dervin's line of sight. The red boots scrunched up to the middle of her calf, showing off sparkling black tights that she wore underneath a red and black plaid tunic dress. Carrying a stack of papers underneath one of her arms with both her hands stuck into her short puffy black coat as she looked down at her feet. She was playfully skipping on the square tiles of the floor, using them as a makeshift hopscotch. Landing crookedly on her foot she tripped causing all the papers she had been holding to be scattered at her feet. But before her body could slam into a nearby locker Dervin caught her elbow.

"I think you just fell for me." Dervin laughed as he scooped up some of the fallen papers. Holding her steady, he managed to pick up all the scattered items before standing upright again. Flashing a dashing smile as he handed her back the papers and letting her go at the same time.

"Bathroom pass again?" Patience observed the crude defaced chalkboard eraser that function as a restroom pass for students.

"Its our meet cute of the day darling, uninterrupted by your charmingly over protective cousins." Dervin picked a hairpin out of Patience's hair. A strand of her chestnut brown hair fell into her face instantly.

"Why must you do that?" Patience slapped his hand and pulled her hairpin out of his fingers. Dervin just shrugged. Patience pushed her stalk of papers into Dervin's chest as she tucked the loose strand back up and re-pinned. The two teenagers had been meeting on an almost daily basis during their third period for the last week. Dervin found an excuse to leave his history class indefinitely while Patience wandered the hallways during her T.A. period.

It was ten in the morning and the florescent lighting indoors combated the darkness of the outside storm. Dervin leaned forward and brushed his pale cheek against Patience's blushing cheek. He was about to start whispering plans about their next meeting when a blurry figure in the parking lot caught his attention. Outside in the drizzling rain a black beanie kept ducking behind cars. Tripping between a muddy old Toyota Camry and a new VW Beatle, Dervin noticed the figure looked oddly familiar with his hunched shoulders and brown hair was escaping from the beanie.

"Is that your cousin?" Dervin said surprising himself by making the connection. Patience spun around immediately to see what he was staring at. Without having to wait too long she caught sight of her baseball player cousin sprint towards the Halliwell brothers shared Jeep.

"What is he doing?" Patience asked. Without waiting to study the situation any more she hustled to the double door exit to the parking lot. Dervin, on the other hand, stood watching as Chris ran his hand under the driver's side front tire. The burst of cold air made Dervin jump and jog to follow his girl out into the parking lot.

"It looks like he is trying to play hooky." Dervin smiled wickedly as he slipped his hand into Patience's. Patience b-lined with determination through the high school parking lot until she stopped right behind her cousin.

"What are you doing?" Patience demanded. Chris smacked the hood of the Jeep forcefully before turning around.

"Hey guys." Chris said through gritted teeth and gave a stiff wave.

"No hidden key?" Dervin guessed amused. Chris gave a curt nod.

"Can I ask why you don't have a key to your own car?" Dervin asked.

"Because his older brother is not an idiot." Patience glared at Chris.

"You know we have to do this thing, I mean if I had my…" Chris paused for a moment thinking of a way to describe his magic without saying magic. "Other key, than I could just use that."

"Wyatt said he would take care of it, just tomorrow. Why are you so impatient?" Patience demanded placing her hands on her hips.

"They might expect him tomorrow. I might catch them by surprise especially without my key…" Chris held his arm with one hand, keeping both of his arms tightly pressed against his torso.

Dervin rolled his eyes he could sense that the two cousins were not actually talking about a second key. Sensing the urgency from Chris though he inserted a suggestion.

"I can rig the car if you want?" Dervin offered.

"You can what?" Patience and Chris said though both in different tones of shock. Patience in a overly virtuous shriek and Chris in a slightly impressed yelp.

"That's what I got picked up for a few years ago, I was the kid they used to rig cars when we stole them." Dervin shrugged nonchalantly. "So I could do it, jeeps are pretty easy though you know I don't know how much your brother would appreciate it."

"Really you could…" Chris said thoughtfully. But Patience wagged a finger in Dervin's face as she elbowed her cousin in the gut.

"Absolutely not. You are not going to rig the Jeep and are you crazy suggesting something like that! Couldn't you get into huge trouble for it?" Patience glared at Dervin.

"Well, I mean I think that it might be different when consent is given by the owner of the vehicle, just maybe." Dervin smiled.

"That's true Pat." Chris nodded.

"No." Patience shook her head.

"Well, my second idea is that I can drive you to, I'm guessing the middle school to spy on your cousins and sister?" Dervin pulled his keys out of his pocket.

"Why would you do this for me, I don't even like you." Chris demanded of Dervin. Dervin laughed and nodded his head a few times before meeting Chris gaze.

"Maybe this will make you like me." Dervin shrugged. "So we going or not? I have a test I should try to make it back for in 7th period."

"Patience?" Chris questioned. "You know we have to stay ahead of this. We just have to see what we can find out."

"You're right but with…" Patience didn't finish her thought.

"You two are really bad at being secretive." Dervin rolled his eyes again as he started towards his car.

"Chris what is he…" Patience started murmuring the rest of her argument and Dervin quicken his pace to give them room to fight without him. Dervin wasn't an idiot and having spent some time on the wrong side of the moral and lawful. He knew when people were trying to keep secrets and he respected the need for it on occasion. If anything the Halliwell cousins were nothing but amusing and everything they seem to do, for better or for worse, was actually for each other and Dervin could find nothing bad about looking out for family.

He turned the key to start the car and turned on the heat as he waited. Chris and Patience stood outside of the car, their clothing dampening with every passing second as the air was filled with sprinkling mist.

"This isn't one of our magic school friends Chris and this is the second time that we've brought him into one of this situations." Patience stole a worried glance to the back of Dervin's head.

"It's a recon mission Pat, we're just going to watch from afar. I would go alone if I could orb, and I would take Henry if he could orb properly. Or I would try to convince Wy if I thought I could budge him from missing his test today. But here is the thing, I think they might be able to sense our magic, maybe me not having my active powers I can get by undetected." Chris had both his hands on Patience's shoulders as he tried to make his point. Cole wisped in between the two of them suddenly.

"You two are on occasion extremely predictable." Cole commented as he looked down at the two of them.

"Watching us for our entire lives, I could only hope that you would be able to predict some of our actions." Chris responded sarcastically as he opened the back door to the car.

"This is a new way to get your boyfriend liked," Cole's eyebrows were highly arched as Patience stuck out her tongue at him and slipped into her seat.

"You know you could make yourself more useful." Chris commented as Cole appeared next to him in the car.

"And you could do what you're told." Patience snapped back to him not realizing that the comment wasn't' directed to her.

"She is of course correct, not to mention that I could as easily observe for you kids while you stay in school." Cole smiled.

"Right because you really want to sound like an after school special." Chris rolled his eyes. Patience engaged Dervin in conversation to keep him from noticing that her cousin was talking to no one in the backseat.

"Why are we spying on your sister and cousin again?" Dervin questioned. Though nothing in his tone, manner or face demonstrated judgment.

"It's just, there's something different about…" Patience was struggling with how to explain the situation yet again.

"The boyfriends? You have a problem with their boyfriends?" Dervin cracked a smile.

"Look I know, it sounds hypocritical. But, you've never really known my sister. Penelope is the sweetest, passive aggressive, agreeable, stickler for the rules you might ever meet. She's about bright colors, optimism and the power of the individual gaining strength for the group. She's so much more grounded than I'm ever going to be and ever since she started seeing this guy, she's none of those things." Patience stared at her window.

"She's in middle school though, from what understand girls at that age are rather susceptible to peer pressure and sudden personality changes." Dervin commented. Patience turned to stare at him oddly.

"It's a psychology test I'm taking today." Dervin laughed at her confused expression. "But for real, speaking from personal experience of walking down the dark side when you're that age, you have a sincere need to be accepted."

"But wasn't it different for you?" Patience questioned, slipping her hand over his.

"Oh you mean cause my mother had just died and no one knew where my father was?" Dervin nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. It might be a little different. Love makes people do crazy things."

"Love and lust are not the same thing." Cole commented having paused from his banter with Chris.

"I don't think she's in love." Patience shook her head.

"And you're an expert on love?" Dervin laughed again.

"Actually," Patience started.

"Patience." Chris said sternly from the backseat.

"I'm a teenage girl, all teenage girls are experts on love." Patience finished. Dervin pulled up in front of the middle school.

"Now what do we do?" Dervin turned off the car and twisted his torso to look at both of the Halliwells in the car.

"It's almost lunch, we could probably sneak around unnoticed." Chris shrugged.

"Plans are really your strong suit." Dervin laughed as he hopped out of the car.

"It is something you should work on, the consequences of your initial plan." Cole suggested as he went through the door.

"Maybe you should listen to him, he was one of the best tactical demons mom ever fought. Possibly the best." Patience flipped her hair and jumped out of the car.

"This is why I like orbbing, no one else has to come." Chris rolled his eyes and moved out of the car as well.

Lincoln Middle School was a large brick building that took up an entire corner of the city landscape. The middle school didn't look that much different the high school, smaller building, fewer classrooms, not as many public displays of affections in the hallways. It wasn't until the three teens entered the cafeteria that they noticed the biggest difference. Dervin as a high school senior with broad shoulders and a jaded edge around him was at least a head taller than most of the boys in the room. If Patience had been wearing a bit more make-up and didn't stand up so straight with confidence, she might have had more of a chance of fitting in. And Chris, much like Dervin was too tall and his physical appearance of broad shoulders and built up muscle from baseball also made him stick out like a sore thumb.

"Maybe you two should bend your knees while you walk." Patience bit her lip trying not to laugh.

"Maybe you shouldn't draw so much attention to each other by all standing here together." Cole laughed.

"All right try not to get caught, you guys go that way and I'll go this way and try to feel them out." Chris said pointedly to Patience.

She nodded and slipped to the right staying close to the wall, while Dervin hunched his shoulders and started to zigzag around the lunch tables and fawning girls. Chris moved towards the lunch line, trying to find his little sister.

Chris spotted Pandora first though, in a bright orange sweatshirt that made her hair stand out even more than normal. Chris studied her. Dora was the only one of the younger girls that didn't have an evil inducing boyfriend. Though if Chris and Wyatt had not been so over consumed with the sudden surge of boyfriends, they might have red flagged the troublemaking course that Dora was on.

Navya was sitting on the chair next to Dora twirling her black pigtail. Her pale skin tone, dark hair and dark eyes reminded Chris vaguely of Javin. Navya slipped her hand into her back pocket and tucked something between her fingers. Chris squinted from afar attempting to see what Navya handed to Dora. But once the exchange took place the discretion was lost. Dora placed the cigarette expertly between her fingers. Chris' eyes widen as he watched Dora lift her other hand snap her thumb up and use her powers to lit her cigarette. Chris blinked repeatedly trying to make the image of his cousin smoking in the middle of her very crowded middle school cafeteria.

Meanwhile Dervin had caught sight of Tricia sitting snuggly against Adam's shoulder. Adam was feeding her pieces of food that were so hot they were still steaming. Dervin watched curiously from two tables away as Tricia would blow a frost onto each of them before biting. Dervin wasn't sure what he was seeing and only became more confused as he watched Tricia nonchalantly wave her hand over a glass and produce what appeared like ice cubes form her hand.

Patience had literally run into her younger sister's feet. Penelope was making out with Julian and the dark couple was floating a few feet off the ground. Not surprisingly none of the other young teens of the room had noticed, being to self-involved in their own affairs to look over at the couple that had been making out for days in the same place.

"What are you doing?" Patience and Chris hissed loudly from different sides of the cafeteria. The kissing couple ignored Patience but Chris did not fare so luckily.

"What does it look like?" Pandora snapped at him as she puffed at the cigarette in her hand.

"Hey Chris," Navya smiled and gave him a flirtatious little wave.

"Pandora Mitchell put out that cigarette." Chris commanded, letting his anger get the best of him.

"I don't think so." And before Chris could register what was happening, Dora brought her hand up to her face and twirled it to be palm up right in front of her mouth. Her eyes twinkled a black that Chris had never seen before and as she smiled she blew. At first only sparks flew off her hand but as her grin widen the fire built in her hand. Chris didn't react but someone pushed him down as a torch of flames flew over his head.

"PATIENCE!" Chris screamed loudly from the ground. Seeing the flames across the room and hearing the panic from her unseen cousin, Patience threw her hands up and closed her eyes hoping for the best. Every sound dissolved around them, no giggling, no hushed whispers, no wrappers being torn open. Patience slowly opened her eyes and saw that everything was frozen in place in the entire room and was amazed.

"Don't just stand there, come over here and unfreeze your boyfriend." Chris hissed.

"And pull down your sister." Cole advised. He was standing next to the frozen flame examined it. Cole had been the one that had pushed Chris down, being able to materialize his hand for long enough to save the charmed child.

"Chris… I don't… They…." Patience stammered. Chris waved her over impatiently though.

"We don't have time. Let's go, quick." He said urgently. Patience nodded and took a deep breath to concentrate not unfreezing everyone in the room. With a simple twist of her hand Dervin was reanimated and with Patience holding one arm and Chris the other he was quickly removed from the frozen scene. Chris expertly pulled the fire alarm next to the door on their way out of the cafeteria and the sprinklers overhead.

Dervin hadn't spoken a word about the situation instead he had pulled out his key. Slamming into the doors of the school and pouring out onto the sidewalk. It was not until the trio had driven a few blocks that anyone spoke.

"So did your cousin have a torch thrower?" Dervin finally whispered. Patience turned to give Chris a panicked glance before swallowing loudly.

"Nope." Chris responded resolutely.

"So the…" Dervin started.

"Chris, I think we might have to tell him." Patience whispered.

"Wyatt will kill you." Chris pulled his body forward angrily.

"But I just think…" She started.

"Not to mention what Mom and Aunt Phoebe might do to you." Chris argued.

"I'm not sure it's the wisest choice either Patience." Cole commented from his spot in the backseat.

"I just, I don't know." Patience buried her head in her hands. Dervin glanced over to see her looking so distressed and caught the expression of murder on Chris face in the backseat through his mirror.

"I'll tell you what," Dervin commented calmly. "Just don't explain it. When you're ready and Chris thinks its ok, then you can explain what exactly is going on. But from what I can gather you're cousins and sister are in some kind of trouble. So even if I don't understand it, I'm here to help." Dervin shrugged and kept driving.

"He might be a better guy than you think." Cole laughed to himself. Chris' mouth was hanging slightly open and Patience had popped up.

"You… Do you … Are you…?" Patience tried formulating a sentence unsuccessfully.

"Maybe some lattes before we go back and food, we missed our own lunch." Dervin suggested as he turned into a shopping center.

"Melinda wasn't in that cafeteria." Cole commented.

"She wasn't." Chris nodded suddenly realizing that Pandora had distracted him from his original target. Melinda had actually been the reason that the entire cafeteria had been frozen and not just the half that Patience had been though. Javin had appeared in the middle school cafeteria at the same time as the trio to woo Melinda. As he ushered her protectively from the scene, he had commanded her to help Patience. Good or evil, magic could not be exposed and the charmed children were proving to be more difficult to control than most young demons.

Javin shimmered himself and Melinda to nestled secluded rose garden in the middle of Golden Gate Park. He had placed Melinda into a clouded daze that kept her from realizing that she was being transported demonically. Upon arriving in the park, Javin snapped his fingers in front of her and swung his arm around her shoulders.

"I've never skipped school." Melinda picked up on the conversation they were having before the trance not frazzled by being at the park now.

"You were always a goody two shoe." Javin laughed as plopped himself down on a bench. Melinda smiled down at him before spinning around once playfully. Javin snapped his fingers while her eyes were closed and conjured her a perfectly bloomed rose. He stretched out his hand and brought Melinda towards him, she slid down onto the bench next to him slowly. Javin pushed the hair from her forehead and tucked the rose behind her ear.

"Just because I never cause as much trouble as Chris…" Melinda laughed pulled the rose out from behind her ear and tumbled down to rest her head in Javin's lap.

"You know Chris and I ditched school for the first time as seventh graders." Javin nodded.

"And I should aspire to be like my rebellious older brother?" Melinda laughed.

"What you competing for golden child?" Javin joked.

"Wyatt isn't the golden child, no matter how much Chris complains about it. But you know that Wy has been grounded for most of his childhood, so I wouldn't think he's much of a golden child." Melinda pressed the rose into her nose.

"You're by far my favorite Halliwell." Javin laughed playing with the loose ends of her hair.

"You didn't think so when you were eight." Melinda's eyebrows arched mockingly. Javin closed his eyes reaching for the planted memories of a childhood with the Halliwell children. He pictured a cherub little girl with dimpled cheeks and a smile that took up half her face.

"You're beautiful." Javin whispered without looking down at her.

"You're not bad looking yourself." Melinda giggled.

"Stop wasting time." A voice hissed in Javin's head. Rolling his black eyes, he shifted his weight and lifting his feet up to lift up Melinda's head.

"I loved the way you watched lady and the tramp every day when you were in first grade, it drove Chris and Wyatt absolutely crazy but not me." Javin cradled her torso in his arms.

"Ad that stupid red coat you wore every Tuesday when you were in fifth grade." Javin whispered as he brought her closer to him.

"Or how you insist on always having chocolate chips in your vanilla ice cream." Javin pressed his lips against her cheeks.

"I am liking this game." Melinda whispered pressing her lips against his cheek.

"Don't you like anything about me?" Javin said before kissing her. The couple didn't talk much after that moment, Javin successfully though somewhat reluctantly intoxicating her. As the smoke poured into her mouth, Melinda suddenly shook and her eyes rolled back into her head.

"Melinda?" Javin stopped and sounded worried.

But Melinda was silent as visions played in front of her of events yet to come. A flash of violence, a blur or someone throwing Melinda down to the ground, the sounds of crying and a sense of fear that was overpowering. Before the vision could become clearer though Javin understanding what was happening started kissing her again. It seemed that even though the memories were magically induced and the feelings were pretenses to a grander evil plan, Javin was starting to feel.

A crystal fell onto the map of San Francisco right onto the point of Golden Gate Park where Melinda was currently making out with her demon. The crystal only rested there for a few minutes though before it shifted to the designated spot of the strip mall that Chris and Patience were now leaving. The crystal followed their movements only for seconds before jumping to the location of the middle school. Prue dropped the crystal down onto the table and waved her hand sending the tiny object across the room forcefully.

She hung her head in her hand as she stared at the map and pool of opened books. There were star charts, calendars, history books on the warren witches and more. Several clanking heels stormed into the room from different directions. Paige wandered in from the East doors wearing a teaching robe and looking frazzled. Phoebe appeared in a red dim light on the west side of the room kissing the air besides her. And Piper came storming in through the front doors of Leo's headmaster office.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Piper mumbled as she snapped her cellphone shut.

"Leo thinks it might really be beneficial to the kids, I mean we rarely give talks together anyway." Phoebe sighed.

"Hm, there is no full moon this February. That only happens three times a century." Paige mumbled looking down at the charts on the table Prue was still hanging over.

"What were you scrying for Prue?" Piper frowned at the collection of magical references.

"I was trying to hone in on the evil that might be affecting the kids…" Prue commented.

"Chris is really very good at convincing people of things," Paige shook her head laughing.

"Prue, you really shouldn't encourage him." Piper sighed.

"There does have to be a reason that Prue was brought back from the past though…" Phoebe suggested calmly. Leo popped his head in at that moment.

"Girls, the hall is ready for you." He announced as he hurried away again.

"I think it was just a magical mishap, I mean that ban on time travel had to whack out the spell." Paige shrugged.

"Why is there a ban?" Prue demanded again as the four sisters walked into a large auditorium. Magic School's auditorium resembled the ancient halls of the Romans and the Greeks, done in a style hope to aspire thinking like Aristotle and Socrates. Leo had convinced the four charmed ones to come to an open hall Q & A for the students of magic school. He thought that they might as well take advantage of the opportunity that magic had presented them with, a rare teaching moment with all four of the most powerful witches to have existed in the last several centuries.

"We can talk about this later." Piper suggested as the four women sat down on the stage to face a hundred bright innocent faces. Four chairs had been set-up on the stage in a semi circle facing the audience of young magic. Leo stood at one end of the stage clapping his hands, an empty gesture, because everyone's focus was already on the charmed ones.

"As you all know, we are here to have a discussion with the charmed sisters. Please keep your questions to academically relevant questions and don't talk over each other." Leo gave the audience a stern glance before sitting down. The proceedings started normally enough. Questions from the younger students consisted of the types of questions given in a teeny bopper magazine. Ranging from what their favorite colors were, to how love affected their powers, to what was their favorite thing to wear to a vanquish. As the conversation was coming to a close and Prue was explaining her initial reactions to Paige, as a tiny sophomore wanted to know, two bright figures appeared in the back of the room.

Anka's glittering arm shot up as she appeared and she didn't wait to be called on, so much as she just started speaking when Prue finished laughing about the idea of having a sister that was more trouble than Phoebe.

"Do you think that having discovered your destiny at a younger age would have been more beneficial to you? Maybe prevented Prue's death?" Anka announced. Eyes from every direction turned to observe who had asked such an intrusive question.

"I'm not sure that it would have changed anything, things happen for a reason." Piper said slowly.

"Maybe it was destined for one of the charmed ones to die." Prue nodded.

"But, don't you think that your grams should have told you about the destined that you were growing into. Do you really think she was protecting you or she was just protecting herself from the disappointment she thought you were going to be because you couldn't get along as sisters?" Anka pressed. Leo went to stop the discussion but Piper waved him back down.

"She might have been doing both…" Piper started.

"It's a possibility that Grams was fearful for the future of good magic if we as witches couldn't pull it together as sisters but you understand that my grams like to control everything. And there's no telling if we might not have evolved in the same way to become powerful enough to defeat several sources and an ultimate power if it hadn't been for the normal childhood that we were given…" Phoebe defended.

"Are you keeping secrets from your own children about their destinies?" Anka smiled triumphantly.

"We don't know what their destinies are." Paige commented back.

"Do you think that being the most powerful witches of your time that you might underestimate the power that you're children hold?" Kron asked from besides her.

"I'm not sure that we do." Phoebe snapped back.

"And I'm not sure you are willing to accept that they aren't all children in need of your protection anymore." Kron responded. At that Leo stood up and declared it was the end of all questions and directed the students out of the room. When he glanced up to catch the two young people from the back, Anka and Kron had already disappeared.

"What the hell was that about?" Piper demanded.

"I think they were… No they couldn't have been. They haven't been here in decades, though sometimes they get bored…" Leo rambled to himself staring at the spot where Anka and Kron had been standing.

"What are you talking about?" Paige demanded.

"In any case they weren't students." Leo shook his head.

"Then what were they?" Prue asked curiously.

"Magical beings, Wyatt's birthday is coming up and it marks a growing suspicion in the magical community about his destiny." Leo sighed walked back towards his office.

"His magical destiny?" Prue repeated.

"Our nephew is the new King Arthur, but he doesn't know because Piper and Leo haven't told him." Paige popped her lips in annoyance.

"Paige, it's not that we haven't thought about telling him." Piper snapped.

"I'm sorry, who is going to be King Arthur?" Prue demanded.

"Wyatt." Phoebe said quietly. They had all walked back into Leo's office and Phoebe had stopped to study the table that Prue had left.

"And we know he's going to be King Arthur because?" Prue asked not questioning the idea of storybook kings.

"He's the master of Excalibur, though he's only used it once and it was before he could talk." Paige commented.

"Excalibur?" Prue stated in disbelief as she stared at Piper.

"About sixteen years ago, almost seventeen now I guess, the lady of the lake came to me. And now technically I'm the lady of the lake and Wyatt is the master of Excalibur. We've got the sword magically hidden in the attic." Piper waved off the explanation to Prue before glaring at Leo. "This was a good idea why?"

" Why haven't you told him?" Prue stared at her younger sisters trying to understand exactly what the young magical being had asked. Why, if after their own experience of having to learn about their destiny on the way, would they ever keep the destiny of one of their children secret?

"It's complicated Prue." Piper sighed.

"Right before Chris was born, his future self spent a year with us trying to save Wyatt from turning into an evil tyrant." Phoebe spit out. She started shifting through some of the star charts that Prue had laid out.

"But you saved him?" Prue said slowly trying to make sense of the situation that had her sisters in a tense state.

"We constantly saved him during his first few years. Wyatt was born at the manor." Piper whispered.

"Which means he's like me. We've unfortunately got a tendency to be swayed to the use our powers for evil which is very dangerous with a witch as powerful as Wyatt." Phoebe commented as she frowned at the chart.

"You don't want to tell him about the sword because you're worried he might use it for evil?" Prue asked.

"When Chris came back from that dark future that we changed, Wyatt wasn't just a kid who had jumped the fence. He tormented the world Prue, and from what I can gather he didn't have access with the sword. If he were still to turn evil, if he had the sword it might be worse…" Piper swallowed and looked down to the ground.

"We just wanted to be sure he was ready for it. So much of that future already changed, but we're worried. Chris died in my arms to save his older brother, I don't want what he fought for to be destroyed." Leo commented.

"That's why there is a ban on time travel, he's already died doing it once?" Prue whispered nodding.

"Chris has a tendency towards time travel. When he was six he almost got himself eaten by a dinosaur." Paige nodded.

"You haven't told him either?" Prue asked.

"Told him that he's either going to be his brother's right hand man or the only person in the world able to stand up to him?" Leo stated angrily.

"Maybe he needs that, maybe he needs the confidence that might give him. Do you know how much he idealizes and feels threatened by Wyatt?' Prue demanded, surprising herself with how much she had come to knew her nephew in the few days she had spent with him.

"She's just trying to protect them Prue, they are powerful boys." Patty Halliwell had appeared in the office her ghostly figure glowing.

"Mom?" Four voices said surprised.

"You are doing what I did." Penny had appeared next to her daughter.

"Grams?" Phoebe and Prue said surprised to see another ghost appear.

"Not that I don't love to see you both, but what are you doing here?" Paige demanded.

"Prue is right." Patty commented. "It's time you told them."

"You came down here to mother me?" Piper sounded incredulously.

"Something's going to happen." Phoebe gasped as she fell down into a chair. All the eyes in the room turned to look at her. She titled her head back on the chair and a shiver shook her body.

"Phoebe?" Paige asked impatiently.

"I can't make it out." Phoebe stared directly at Piper when she looked up again.

"What did you see?" Leo asked.

"Something's going to happen on Wyatt's birthday." Phoebe sighed.

"How do you know?" Piper demanded.

"The full moon was the only thing I could make out." Phoebe stared down at the charts and books in front of her.

"Better reason to tell the boys now," Patty commented.

"Mom, really this isn't the time." Phoebe snapped annoyed with herself for not being able to see the vision.

"Phoebe don't talk to your mother that way." Penny chastised. "If anything Piper might be right, if there was a time that Wyatt might turn evil now might be it. Let him mature a little bit more…" Penny suggested.

"Wyatt is very responsible, we have raised him for this." Leo suggested trying to settle his arm around Piper.

"You always did say that you would tell him when he was 18…" Paige trailed off.

"Maybe telling them both might prepare them for what's to come," Patty suggested.

"Do you know something we don't know?" Phoebe stared at her mother.

"I just know that it might have been easier on my own girls had they been prepared with the knowledge of their own destinies." Patty sighed.

"If Chris knew that he is such an important factor of his big brother's life…" Prue commented.

"No." Leo shook his head. The women in the room all looked at him surprised.

"But you're all for telling Wyatt, why not Chris?" Penny looked at him stunned.

"He doesn't need to know. He's never going to have to protect his brother that way, he doesn't have to know." Leo shook his head resolutely.

"It's important that we tell Wyatt soon." Phoebe said touching everything on the desk trying to spark another vision.

"Headmaster Wyatt you're advance magical theory class is waiting for you?" A younger teacher had popped her head in. Leo jumped away shouting over his shoulder that he would see everyone later.

"I have a charge calling for me." Paige orbed out of the office.

"Did she just leave us here?" Phoebe stared at the spot where Paige had been.

"You couldn't see anything else?" Patty asked Phoebe. Phoebe shook her head sadly.

"Someone is getting attacked. But I can't make out who is getting attacked or who is doing the attacking." Phoebe pressed her eyes shut.

"Now with all four of your girls here, I'm sure you can figure out what is going to happen. Just scry for evil in the city, maybe have Paige check with the Elders if anything is brewing." Penny started suggesting.

"I think we know how to deal with things now Grams," Piper said between gritted teeth. Prue stared at her wristwatch.

"The kids are out of school, Wyatt could come orb us home?" Prue suggested.

"And then you could tell him." Patty placed her ghostly hand Piper's shoulder.

"Leo and I will discuss it some more later." Piper shook her head.

"Piper don't you think that maybe we should give Chris back his active powers with what's happening? I mean it would only be a few days early." Phoebe suggested.

"Maybe we can call Paige over later tonight and we'll say the spell but maybe not tell him, because he tends to get into trouble especially when he thinks there is trouble coming," Piper nodded.

"Piper they aren't little boys anymore." Patty whispered.

"You two really came down here to talk about Wyatt and Chris?" Prue looked at them suspiciously.

"We may be dead honey, but that doesn't mean we don't know things." Penny laughed.

"This is boding well. Three dead family members and two magical beings criticizing how I am raising my children." Piper growled.

"Honey we're just trying to help," Patty comforted her daughter.

The family discussion only continued for a few more minutes before Piper called for Wyatt in exasperation. The tall youth was wrangling his little brother towards the car.

"You went to the middle school?" He hissed. Patience and Henry were trudging behind the two of them whispering about the events of the day. Patience was updating Henry on how she had watched his younger sister use magic in broad daylight.

"I think they might be expecting you tomorrow." Chris argued impatiently.

"Who the hell are they Chris?" Wyatt growled. "I'm more worried about you than any they."

"I don't know who they are exactly you know that!" Chris argued.

"Mom's calling." Wyatt gritted his teeth.

"Better go golden boy." Chris rolled his eyes and held out his hand for the keys to the car.

"But you're not suppose…" Wyatt started but Piper yelled in his head again.

"Yeah, you really going to make her wait because the headache you can get for that is horrible." Chris made a grabbing motion with his hand for the keys.

"Straight home and don't forget to pick up Prim." Wyatt dropped the keys into his younger brother's hand and ducked down behind a car to orb out. Henry skipped forward to be walking by Chris with Patience lagging behind looking for Dervin. Dervin pulled up next to her already in his car and rolled down his window.

"I'll call you later?" He asked as he dashingly took her hand and kissed it. With a wink he rolled up his window and drove away.

"Patience!" Chris hollered to her as he slammed the driver's door shut. Clutching the straps of her backpack she ran towards the car and jumped into the backseat because Henry had already made himself comfortable in the front seat.

"Pat I can't be worrying that you are going to blow the family secret to some crush." Chris said as he started the car.

"She wouldn't do that." Henry defended her.

"I don't think it's just a crush." Patience whispered under her breath. "What are we going to do?"

"I guess we're going to have to wait it out until Wyatt sees what we're talking about tomorrow. I think maybe we can try to convince aunt Prue to convince mom to give me back my powers. If you could work on aunt Phoebe?" Chris smiled at his cousin.

"Yeah it works better when you're there to give her that innocent smile. You can con her better than I've ever been able to." Patience rolled her eyes.

"We're really going to wait for Wyatt?" Henry asked doubting the idea.

"You know when the twice blessed makes up his mind, he'd have my head if we tried anything without him. Besides we still don't know who these demons are and with mom not believing us." Chris sighed in frustration.

"You've cried wolf a lot." Patience shrugged.

"But we're worried about this?" Henry demanded.

"It might be a problem yes, but if they were really that powerful wouldn't they just outright attack? I think they're more scared off us than we should be of them." Chris commented.

"Pride comes before a fall." Henry shook his head looking worried out the window.

"Stop worrying about it, we'll take care of it." Patience nodded.

"Pandora used her magic against Chris, I think we should be more worried about this." Henry stated stubbornly.

"We are, we're just going to wait until Wyatt is on board too." Patience soothed him.

"You don't think that Wyatt is going to blow us off? I mean he has been acting slightly distracted lately…" Henry started.

"That's just cause of college applications and his birthday coming up soon. You know he gets all weird about getting older, it's like with every year he gets another weight of responsibility dumped on him. "Patience shook her head.

Chris pulled the car up in front of the elementary school that all the charmed children had attended. Henry unfastened his seatbelt and hopped onto the sidewalk to help Primrose get into the car. The little girl had a wide pink ribbon in her hair that matched her pink corduroy pants. She jumped readily into Henry's arms and the older boy wrapped his thin arm around her protectively. Patience pushed opened the back door and Henry sat the little girl down on the seat.

"Thanks HJ." Primrose gave him a toothless grin.

"How was your day bug?" Patience asked as she tried to collect all the loose papers that the little girl had been holding and stuff them into the backpack.

"We had a substitute today and he's great fun Pat. Mr. Broody let us put on old socks over our shoes and had us run around in the soccer field and then we planted the sock and he says that in a few weeks things will start to grow from the speeds that we collected from the grass!" Primrose started chattering excitedly in the backseat and the older cousins let the little girl talk herself silly for the rest of the drive.

Across town, Dervin was standing outside the San Francisco City Police Department leaning against his car finishing off a cigarette. Henry Sr. walked out of the front doors and straight over to Dervin with his arms crossed.

"I thought you gave those up." Henry said sternly.

"Our appointment isn't for three more minutes." Dervin sighed as he checked his phone.

"Were you going to lie to me?" Henry arched his eyebrows slightly.

"Nah, I don't really smoke much anymore just sometimes helps me think." Dervin pushed his fingers down on the burning end before chucking out the cigarette bud.

"You didn't attend some of your classes today." Henry reproached.

"You keeping tabs on me Officer Mitchell?" Dervin pursued his lips while avoiding eye contact.

"And you promised that you weren't going to give your foster parents anymore trouble Dervin." Henry shook his head.

"I didn't mean anything by it." Dervin shoved his hands into his pockets.

"So what'd happened, you didn't hear from one of the other guys?" Henry looked worried at the young man in front of him. Dervin Rogers was Henry's youngest parolee, and Henry had a soft spot for the teenager that had been under his supervision for the last two years.

"No sir." Dervin shook his head.

"You skip a test?" Henry persisted.

"Nope, actually I made sure to get back for my test today." Dervin shook his head again.

"So?" Henry demanded.

"Well someone needed my help." Dervin shrugged.

"Someone…" Henry repeated. "A girl?"

Dervin nodded and his blue eyes twinkled with a look of far off adoration that Henry was trying not to laugh at.

"What's her name?" Henry prompted.

"Patience." Dervin sighed. Henry frowned for a second and thought before speaking again.

"Patience Halliwell?" Henry asked. Dervin nodded slightly shocked.

"You got someone following me?" Dervin demanded sounding slightly angry.

"No." Henry shook his head. "She's my niece."

"You've got twin daughters?" A light bulb went on in his head about why one of the girls had looked so familiar.

"Yes." Henry nodded. "You didn't go to class today because my niece needed your help?" Henry's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I don't want to get her into any trouble." Dervin said alarmed.

"What did she need help with?" Henry demanded.

"I'm not sure…" Dervin started.

"Dervin she's a very special girl," Henry softened his tone.

"Yes sir, I know. I'm starting to understand that the whole family is very special." Dervin nodded.

"How so?" Henry lost some of the color in his face, if Patience had told this boy the sisters were not going to be pleased.

"They are very closed knit sir, as cousins and siblings." Dervin shrugged.

"Yes, yes the family is very closed. But Dervin I need to know what she needed help with today…" Henry tried again.

"I'm really not sure that I should be telling you." Dervin was not about to give up information that wasn't his to divulge.

The image of Henry Sr. and the young Dervin smoked around the edges and a cloth-hidden hand waved over the picture.

"He's the target do you understand?" A chilly voice commanded at a shivering Mr. Tolliver.

"Yes sire." Mr. Tolliver bent his head down.

"You will be sure that Kron and Anka understand their part of the plan?" The voice demanded.

"Yes sire." Mr. Tolliver nodded.

"And the others understand their parts?" The voice demanded of another darker figure in the room.

"Yes sire." The figure bowed lower than Mr. Tolliver had.

"Have you decided which ones you want?" The voice asked sounding bored.

"The twins sire will be the best for our ranks. We can easily turn them and their powers will be useful." The darker figure didn't raise from his bow.

"May we keep Melinda?" Javin came from the shadows. Mr. Tolliver snapped his cane at Javin's knees forcefully.

"That is not part of the deal." The cold voice roared.

"Excuse him sire, he doesn't know when to keep his tongue on occasion. Shut up boy." Mr. Tolliver hissed as he hit the young demon again in the knees.

"You'd do best to not be heard young demon." The voice sneered.

"I'm older than you." Javin grumbled.

"Go on and inform Kron and Anka of their parts, make sure they understand they must keep their part of the deal." Mr. Tolliver knocked Javin on the head forcefully as the young demon shimmered out of the cave.

"You will be greatly rewarded if this works Tolliver. Greatly rewarded." The icy voice laughed in anticipation of a plan that was about to come to life.


	11. On the Edge

**On the Edge**

A warm glow of pinks came through the attic windows as the sun was rising. Curled up on one of the antique couches, Prue was nestled nicely in one of her nephew's oversized sweatshirts and under her old quilt. Prue was the only one left awake in the attic, Patience was curled up on the same couch as her aunt completely asleep. Slumped completely over a book, Chris was quietly mumbling in his sleep. Prue's thumb was pressed against her temple as she lightly rested on her arm and lazily waved her fingers. The book of shadows rested comfortably in her lap, pages magically flipping every few seconds. The candles on the nearby table were flickering, fighting their impending doom because burning all night they had succumb to becoming a puddle of melted wax. Prue used the sleeve of the sweatshirt to wipe away a few of the tears running down her cheek.

"Are you crying?" Cole had appeared sitting on the armrest of the couch above Patience's head. Prue threw her hand across her chest quickly and defensively, sending the book of shadows flying across the attic. The book landed with a loud thump under one of the many bookcases. Chris popped up sleepily mumbling fighting words but never opening his eyes but Prue gently patted his shoulder and he slumped back over.

"Damn it Cole, do you have to sneak up on people like that." Prue snapped at him.

"Sorry, I don't make much noise anymore. Also I'm not use to people being able to you know see and hear me." Cole shrugged. "Though sometimes I'm sure that Phoebe can sense me and I know that Piper knows I'm around on occasion."

"Why does Piper know?" Prue whispered as she ran one of her fingers underneath her eyes slowly trying to blink away the remaining tears.

"I came to her once to help save her and Leo's love. So she knows I'm in the void between life and death." Cole bent down to blow the candles out of their misery.

"Why are you though?" Prue asked.

"A lot of things have happened since your time." Cole responded without meeting her eyes.

"So I've gathered." Prue stared at the book of shadows and with one swoop wave the book glided back over to the podium.

"Is that why you were crying?" Cole ventured again.

"Since when did you become so caring? We've never gotten along." Prue tugged on the quilt to cover up her niece.

"We did sometimes. And you and I we have a lot in common." Cole got up and started pacing around the room.

"How do we have a lot in common?" Prue snorted in disbelief. Though she was glad there was someone else in this strange vast future from the past that wasn't an active character, she couldn't believe she had that much in common with Cole.

"We never got over our first loves and our family has moved on without us. Not to mention we were both significantly powerful." Cole smiled recklessly at the last part as he winked at Prue. Patience twitched burying her head under her arms as the sunlight streamed in.

"They did well without me." Prue sighed studying the attic and her niece and nephew. It was Cole's turn to snort.

"It almost destroyed them. Piper fell to pieces, almost got Phoebe and myself killed on her vendetta trying to kill all the evil in San Francisco. It took her years to recover though she hid it well. She spent weeks trying to summon you, to talk to you but the powers that be wouldn't allow it. And Phoebe, my poor Phoebe between your death and my well, let's call it my demise, I'm thankful she didn't just destroy herself. She gave up on love, she was a hallow shell of emotion which you know is nothing like her. And I know you never knew Paige, but let me tell you, your youngest sister is an annoying soul. But she spent years trying to become super witch, trying to be like you. No they survived without you, because they had to. And maybe now they're doing well, but they will always miss you." Cole nodded to himself.

"You've become sentimental." Prue noted.

"My love for Phoebe has expanded to all Halliwells at this point." Cole laughed.

"I can see that." Prue smiled despite herself. No matter all the harm that Cole had brought to her family, she couldn't deny all the good and protection he gave them. The two were silent for a few minutes.

"Why does no one listen to me?" Chris moaned loudly.

"You should wake them up, Piper will not be happy to find them up here and Phoebe might freak out if Patience is missing when she wakes up." Cole suggested.

"They're a tad bit over protective aren't they?" Prue smiled.

"They've seen a lot of bad things. Spend the day with Piper today, not pent up in Magic School it might better for you." Cole commented before disappearing.

"Yeah sure whatever you want." Prue responded sarcastically. She leaned towards her niece and started to gently shake the girl awake.

"Patience," Prue started whispering. Patience slapped her hand away and her dark locks fell over her face.

"Patience, Phoebe is going to wake up and not find you at home." Prue tried louder. Patience's eyes fluttered open revealing her violet eyes blazing with anxiety.

"Oh no, oh no! The sun is up!" Patience bolted into a sitting position and immediately kicked Chris in the side. Instantaneously the table he had been sleeping on slammed into the couches and split in half upon impact with the wall. The night before Piper, Phoebe and Paige had lifted the ban on Chris' active powers but without letting him know.

"Prue? Is something wrong?" Piper's worried voice came echoing up the stairs.

"No. Just an accident!" Prue called back quickly. Chris jumped to his feet blinking rapidly as he focused on the sunlight streaming into the room.

"I have to get home." Patience ran both her hands through her hair, pulling out the loose ponytail completely.

"If I had my powers, I could just orb you home." Chris grumbled angrily. Patience shook her head quickly, staring at the shattered wood of the table and at her barely awake cousin.

"The bitterness is really going to help Chris." Prue shook her head at him.

"Chris!" Patience shouted louder than she should have as both Prue and Chris shushed her immediately.

"Prue?" Piper's voice sounded closer.

"She's going to come up here," Chris panicked.

"Chris you moron, orb me home!" Patience pushed herself into the side of his body quickly as they heard the footsteps getting closer.

"But I can't…" Chris mumbled confused as he rubbed his eyes of the remaining sleep.

"The table you idiot, I must have startled you enough that the magic thought you were in danger. Orb me home!" Patience stomped her foot on Chris and the young man shrugged and before he realized it, the two were orbing out of the room. As Piper walked into the attic, her hair still wet and make-up not done and carrying two cups of coffee.

"Did the table attack you?" Piper looked sadly over at the poor coffee table that had been destroyed so many times that she was debating giving it away to put it out of its misery.

"I had a pretty vivid dream, I think when I startled awake it just sort of happened." Prue sighed accepting the hot coffee readily. It was a good thing that she had the same power as her nephew.

"Why were you sleeping up here?" Piper asked suspiciously looking around. Prue laughed there was no doubt that Piper Halliwell was a well seasoned Charmed One and mother of sneaky teenagers.

"I was reading the book last night, I fell asleep. Chris was working on a paper for class and I didn't want to kick him out of his room." Prue clasped the coffee mug and held it right under her nose taking in the smell slowly.

"Maybe you shouldn't be reading the book too much," Piper ventured giving her oldest sister a sad smile.

"We have to erase my memory anyway when I go back. I die soon, don't I?" Prue asked the last part softly, not really wanting to know.

"Prue, I can't…" Piper studied her coffee being unable to look up at her sister.

"It's ok, you're right. I shouldn't know." Prue shook her head and took a sip of her coffee.

"I made waffles this morning," Piper smiled brightly.

"Oh you're the best." Prue swung her arm around Piper's shoulders lovingly as the girls started to walk out of the attic. "Like we're going to erase my memory anyway, maybe I can hang out with my sisters today and not at Magic School?"

The two sisters walked into the kitchen. Leo was sitting dressed in a casual pair of jeans and nice polo reading over the paper as he ate his breakfast.

"Morning." Leo nodded at Prue as he kept reading the article about education policies changing in front of him. Prue poured herself another cup of coffee and Piper sat back down next to her husband. Suddenly Chris stumbled into the room, ducking to the floor, as Wyatt's hand appeared grabbing at air. Wyatt let out a small growl under his breathe as he stepped into the kitchen and glared at his younger brother. Meanwhile the brunette sprung to his feet giving his locks a toss and smiling at his family brightly.

"Good Morning family." Chris announced as he side stepped Wyatt's angry arm again and sat down next to Piper.

"Boys?" Leo questioned sternly without even looking up from his paper.

"It's nothing dad." Wyatt responded to the unspoken question as he sat down next to his father, leaving a few seats empty between the two brothers. Chris grabbed at the waffles excitedly not paying any more attention to his older brother.

" Why are you in such a good mood peanut?" Piper stroked her son's hair as he shoved waffle into his mouth.

"Waffles are my favorite." Chris gave her an innocent smile as he washed down the wad of dough with the orange juice she poured for him. Wyatt hid his scoff by nosily getting up to pour himself some coffee.

"Did you finish that paper you were working on?" Prue asked Chris.

"Oh, yeah. It's basically done. I just have to check some facts at the library at school today." Chris replied in-between bites. The kitchen just continued to get more crowded with the arrival of Paige and her three kids and with Phoebe dropping off Patience and Penelope. Melinda entered the kitchen seconds before Wyatt announced that the high school kids were leaving before they arrived late again. Paige agreed that she had to get the middle school kids out the door before she was late to the office again as well. It was a moment of pure family chaos as young Henry grabbed a waffle to go, Patience poured the remaining coffee into her travel mug, Paige double checked an appointment for the club with Piper and so many other things happened in the blink of an eye.

"Melinda you didn't get a chance to eat anything?" Piper scurried around the kitchen trying to put a waffle on a plate to take with her.

"It's ok mom, I'll just have a yogurt when I get to school." Melinda hurried out of the kitchen before her mother could hand her the food. It was beginning to be noticeable that Melinda Halliwell's appetite had greatly diminished in the last week. Her cheeks were beginning to hallow out and her clothing was beginning to hang loosely off her body. Hustling out the door Chris and Melinda waved their good-byes, and Wyatt pecked his mother on the cheek as he again tried to chase after his younger brother.

"Can I drive…?" Chris started to ask but the dark glower from Wyatt made him slip into the passenger side.

"Christopher," Wyatt started as he put the keys into the ignition.

"Wyatt, have you ever noticed that you're name isn't as threatening when you say the whole thing as mine is." Chris commented jokingly.

"It's like aunt Piper and uncle Leo knew that you were going to be more trouble than Wyatt." Patience laughed.

"Christopher," Wyatt stated again, the annoyance in his voice becoming more apparent.

"What Wy?" Chris whined.

"At least I have a snack for this fight." Henry commented as he kept munching on his waffle. "Pat did you guys find anything else out last night?" He whispered the second part to his cousin sitting next to him.

"I felt a power surge this morning, what did you do?" Wyatt demanded of Chris ignoring the whispering in the backseat.

"Why when you feel a power surge do you think it's something I did, couldn't it as easily have been that someone got a new power. Couldn't you express some kind of happiness for one of our dearest family members new power? I mean I know it's hard for you that anyone might be as powerful as the Twice Blessed but really." Chris mocked.

"Christopher!" Wyatt growled.

"What?"

"What did you do?" Wyatt demanded again.

"Nothing." Chris spat at him.

"You didn't do something to get your powers back?" Wyatt gave him a critical glance.

"Why do you always think the worse of me?" Chris smiled recklessly back at him. Chris was playing it cool, there was no way that the sixteen year old was going to tell his over protective brother that he had accidentally regained his powers. Chris and Patience were positive that Wyatt would immediately turn the car around and tell Piper of the infraction and have her bind his powers again. Wyatt was a little too big on the idea of learning lessons and being responsible.

"You know boys, as amusing as this is. We have bigger problems right now." Patience interjected.

"Did he do something?" Wyatt peeked at her in the rearview mirror.

"Obviously if a demon had attacked this morning you would know Wy, why don't you drop it. Maybe one of the girls got a new power and we don't know because they are being seduced by DEMONS." Henry said anxiously bringing attention to their immediate problem.

"We're sure?" Wyatt sighed. He was still very resistant to the idea that the girls were dating demons.

"Yes. Pretty damn sure, Wyatt." Chris rolled his eyes.

"Are we sure that Dervin isn't a demon?" Wyatt said hopefully as he pulled into his parking spot on campus and noticed the red headed youth loitering around waiting for Patience.

"Wyatt Matthew Halliwell you're little sister could very well be dating a warlock of some kind and you can't live with me dating a guy who made a little mistake a few years ago?" Patience screeched as she threw open the car door.

"A little mistake Pat? He was arrested and thrown into Juvenile Hall for a while." Chris argued. Patience glared at both of them and started trying to stomp away, Wyatt though cunningly put his arm around her and steered her the opposite direction of Dervin.

"Great moment for that dramatic exit Patience, but we have about ten more minutes to talk about this problem that you three thinks exists." Wyatt pointed out.

"I hate you." Patience spat back at him.

"Now I really don't believe you think that Javin, who we've known forever is a demon." Wyatt shook his head disbelieving.

"We haven't known him forever that's the point. He did something to make us think like we've known him forever." Chris argued.

"That's not even possible, we're way too powerful for that. I mean mom thinks she's known him forever too." Wyatt disagreed again.

"The powerful are often blind to their weakness." Henry mumbled to himself mostly because none of his cousins heard him. Knowing the conversation would get no where if they kept focusing on the one demon they couldn't agree on, he pushed a new topic.

"OK, let's forget about Javin for a second. What about these other two, Adam and Julian? We need to check on them." Henry tried to steer the conversation away from things they disagreed on, as the white lighter side of him encouraged to be the compromiser.

"We are losing Penelope. I can't hear her heart beat as well, can you still sense her?" Patience asked Wyatt worriedly. Wyatt took in a deep breath and closed his eyes nodding after a moment.

"Its real faint though." Wyatt was frowning.

"So what exactly are we going to do?" Chris asked a bit to over excited. Wyatt and Henry stared at him suspiciously and Patience gave him warning glance.

"I'm going to check it out, during lunch and maybe my study hall to see if I can find anything out about them. See if they go anywhere and what they do. " Wyatt commented.

"Can I come to spy with you?" Chris asked.

"No." Wyatt shook his head.

"But Wy?" Chris

"Because, you're staying in school all day." Wyatt pointed a chastising finger at Chris. " Besides, I have a feeling you didn't actually write that paper you said you were last night. And maybe if you told me what else you're up to little brother, I would trust you to come with me." Wyatt pushed his hand against Chris' head and propelled his little brother away from him.

"Why don't you just say it's because I'm useless without my active powers." Chris rolled his eyes as he skipped away formulating his own plan. Dervin had walked by discreetly at some point during the brothers' argument and Patience had skillfully slipped away with him. So only Henry and Wyatt were left standing next to each other.

"Patience left with Dervin." Henry informed his oldest cousin.

"Of course she did. Why can't those two just listen to me?" Wyatt demanded.

"Apparently they prefer not to." Henry shrugged trying not to grin. Both Halliwell brothers had a slight leader complex that was really amusing when no one actually listened to them.

"You find out that they are doing anything…" Wyatt pushed Henry as the bell started to ring signaling that class was starting in five minutes.

"You'll be the first to know Wy. Try to actually find out something useful though, I'm worried about my sisters." Henry pointed out as he rolled his shoulders leaving them tensely up as he walked away. 

Stopped at an intersection, Piper was quietly counting to ten in her head as Prue sat in the passenger seat arguing with her.

"Piper honestly if he was going to really turn into that adult tyrant that you were warned about don't you think it would already be clear that was going to happen?" Prue argued.

"Remind her that the future changes all the time." Cole suggested. He had decide to spend the morning trying to help Prue convince Piper to tell her boys the truth about their respective destines and pasts.

"She should know that." Prue snapped.

"Who are you talking to?" Piper demanded.

"Cole." Prue said nonchalantly. Piper stepped down hard on the accelerator of the car.

"What?" Piper's voice had jumped a few octaves as she studied her rearview mirror.

"You know he exists in that void and he wanted me to remind you that the future changes all the time." Prue shrugged.

"You can see our Cole, like the spirit version that just sort of exists in our time with no powers? You're not seeing the past Cole, the one that is still in love with Phoebe and a train for destruction?" Piper demanded.

"I'm so glad she's so fond of me." Cole commented. "Tell her I've started to read St. Valentine's letters and that I decided that the Sonnets were my favorite Shakespearean work."

"How will that make any difference?" Prue demanded.

"What did he say?" Piper asked not even trying to make sense of the situation.

"He says that he liked the sonnets." Prue sighed.

"I don't know how many more ghosts of the past I can deal with." Piper groaned.

"Piper, really?" Prue pressed.

"Cole of all people should know that people can change in a moment. Phoebe became queen of the underworld in her late twenties." Piper defended herself.

"That was a dark love issue." Cole sighed. "And partially my fault."

"Don't you think it made a difference that Phoebe also was a little darker and more trouble that Wyatt seems to be? I mean from what I can gather Piper the kid is on a pretty straight and narrow path, how couldn't he be with a mom like you?' Prue tried a different approach.

"Look can we talk about this later, you wanted to have lunch. I have to finish inventory, we'll eat and get stuff done. We can deal with this looming doom that everyone sees coming later." Piper snapped impatiently.

"You haven't changed. Normal first, magic later." Prue laughed.

"Maybe I will check up on the kids." Cole suggested before sweeping away from the car. The two sisters stepped out of the car and headed in through the backdoor never noticing the pair of eyes watching them from behind a tree. Grace stood poised in a sleek uniform jumper, her blond curls being held in place with a headband. Olivia sat with her legs crossed at the ankles high on one of the tree branches.

"We finally get to play." Grace smiled looking up.

"We have to wait a little bit longer. We can't start too early, we'll ruin the plan." Olivia swung her legs anxiously.

"Why did the boys get to have all the fun, I could distract little Henry." Grace rested her back against the tree and slid her body down to a sitting position.

"I'm sure Navya couldn't jump fast enough into Chris' lap either. But the plan worked better with the girls. Besides we get to destroy things, you like to cause havoc don't you?" Olivia giggled while snapping her fingers bringing Grace up into the tree with her.

"I miss New York, do you think once we don't have to follow the fountain anymore we can stay there longer?" Grace asked hopeful.

"I don't know I suppose that might be up to Mr. Tolliver, though Adam suggested that without having to follow the fountain we might not need him anymore." Olivia sighed. "We could do without his strictness and once this is over with I get Javin back."

"Javin's been acting strange." Grace whispered before dozing off on the branch. Olivia conjured a blanket and laid it on top of the younger demon. Conjuring an alarm clock that she hung off of one of the nearby branches, she set the alarm and let herself fall into a sleep.

A bell rang breaking the restless slumber that Chris had been in. His head popped up in a swift motion that sent his books tumbling to the ground. Blinking his eyes a few times to readjust to the lighting of the classroom as rows of students walked out in front of him. Chris was trying to stop seeing the bursts of red, black and white as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Man, you really should try not to sleep in class." Javin's came from underneath the desk as the shaggy haired boy picked up Chris' fallen schoolbooks. Chris focused on Javin's dark hair and then on his friend's black eyes dazed for a second. Javin shoved the books into Chris' chest and stood up.

"You're going to be late to your next class." Javin warned as he started walking out. Chris' eyes followed him though as a light bulb went on in his head, black jeans and a red and white pullover sweater. Scooping up all of his stuff he scrambled into the hallway quickly slamming into Patience on his way to his locker.

"What are you doing?" She hissed at him.

"I figured it out, I need the book. Where is Wy?" Chris whispered back to her as he unceremoniously pushed all his stuff into his locker and slammed it shut.

"He's at the middle school. Can't you just wait?" Patience almost begged. Her eyes were flickering a red feeling that her family was acting a little more divided than usual and it made her anxious.

"No, it might be important. What does matching color schemed clothing mean to you?" Chris asked quickly.

"Like a uniform?" Patience asked confused. Chris nodded.

"I'm going to the manor, I'll be back before the end of the school day. Don't tell Wyatt though?" Chris begged as he skipped into the bathroom to orb away.

"Something is going to go very wrong." She nervously twirled the tips of her ponytail as she walked into her next class.

Chris appeared over the book in the empty manor and started frantically flipping through the yellowing pages.

"Black, red and white. Uniforms, I know you're in here." He flipped rapidly not even really focusing on the pages. And then the book fell open to a page that had an image of a group of generic teenagers lounging around each other. Though there was nothing particularly familiar about any of their faces, Chris noted they all looked like prep school students in a uniform that consisted of black slacks and skirts, white collars shirts and red blazers.

The drawing was accompanied with a description of the demonic gang. The Academy consisted of six rare Akron demons, three male and three female. Akron demons were obsessed with youth and fed off the essence of youthful rebellion. Though most of them die in childhood, six were chosen and protected to join The Academy. The elite few that are members of The Academy lived as young demons for centuries. The Academy was run by the only Akron demon to ever reach an old age, Mr. Tolliver. Mr. Tolliver helped discipline the young demons, keeping them from self-destruction, and focused their energies on collecting excess youthful rebellion to boast their powers enough to be able to follow the fountain of youth. Every decade the academy "students" would track the fountain of youth and drink enough liquid to keep them in their teenage years forever. The book stated that though The Academy could be a nuisance every few decades, generally they didn't merit too much attention. Apparently they rarely found anything in the magical community interesting and preferred just dealing with their fountain and mortal youth as magical youth was too repressed on either side of the good or evil. The neighboring page had a large picture of Mr. Tolliver his description included the date of his birth which was somewhere in Babylon in 585 BC. It warned that though it might not be known, a demon that had survived so many centuries might well have collected several demonic powers.

"This is it." Chris stared down at the page re-read the information. But he didn't see anything on either The Academy's page or Mr. Tolliver's description that shed any light on why these demons had now chosen to get involved with his cousins and sister. Starring at his watch, Chris knew bit down on his lip knowing that he had to beat Wyatt back to school he orbed out of the attic quickly.

"Do you ever go to class?" Cole's voice asked as Chris orbed back into the restroom he had left.

"On occasion." Chris grumbled looking around to make sure that no one would think he was crazy for talking to his invisible friend.

"And you do well?" Cole smiled.

"Well enough." Chris shrugged.

"Wyatt is waiting for you in room 215, Patience was trying to distract him because he was trying to sense you and Henry should be walking in here…" Cole's words were like the running narrative as Henry walked in on cue.

"Wyatt can feel that you've got your powers back." Henry warned.

"Damn stupid six sense of his." Chris moan as the two cousins didn't bother to walk but just orb back to the empty classroom the cousins had commandeered.

"What did you do?' Wyatt demanded of Chris.

"Henry just orbed me in here." Chris shook his head looking completely innocent.

"But I can feel it…" Wyatt narrowed his blue eyes at his younger brother.

"Nope Wyatt sorry. One of the girls powers must be advancing." Chris shook his head and Patience glared at him from behind Wyatt.

"Your talent for lying amazes me on occasion, your aunt Phoebe couldn't lie for the life of her." Cole shook his head observing the scene from the sidelines.

"Did you see anything?" Henry asked.

"They didn't use their powers in front of me, though Tricia really should control herself around that boy of hers. And Pen is radiating a weird surge of dark magic." Wyatt grimaced.

"So what's the plan?" Henry demanded ready to jump into action.

"The demons the girls are dating are part of this elite demon group called The Academy." Chris sighed.

"And you know this how?" Wyatt demanded.

"The Akron demons?" Cole frowned. "I haven't heard anything about them since the 1960s and 70s, they really loved those peace, love and drug riots." Cole frowned scratching his head trying to remember anything else about the group.

"I realized that they all wear the same colors today, and I remember something about a group of demons that wears uniforms. But the book says that they aren't really that big of a threat and they don't usually do any dealing with magical beings. Which makes me thinks they are just the front." Chris rambled.

"Front for who?" Patience asked.

"A front…" Cole dissolved without a word.

"I don't know." Chris stated miserably.

"Look I don't think that they will do anything when we're all together. Henry just make sure to watch the twins tonight, if they go anywhere call me. Patience same goes for you and Penelope. And Chris will watch Melinda tonight…" Wyatt nodded.

"What are you going to be doing?" Chris demanded.

"I have a date with someone little brother, but no worries I'm only a call away." Wyatt ruffled Chris hair before checking his watch.

"Back to class with all of you." Wyatt announced pushing Patience out the door. There was one more period left of the high school's day and none of the Halliwell cousins could have guessed what nightfall was going to bring them.

Hours later as the sun was setting over the winter sky of the city, Paige was sitting in her little Toyota Camry outside of the middle school. She was on the phone with her husband.

"Paige there is something going on that the kids aren't telling us." Henry was arguing into the phone.

"And you know this because Patience's delinquent boyfriend told you?' Paige replied weary of the conversation already.

"He's really not that bad Paige. And look something is going on, I've known you guys long enough to see trouble coming." Henry argued.

"There is nothing going on with the kids, besides them just growing up a little bit. I know you're worried because Dora is being a bit more rebellious than we would have liked but there's nothing to worry about Henry." Paige rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Henry knew he was defeated.

"Yes, now the girls are here. I will see you in a little bit. Don't forget that we're going to that benefit dinner with Phoebe and Coop." Paige warned into the phone.

"Is Coop really going to be able to…" Henry didn't even finish his thought as Paige hung the phone up. Phoebe, Coop, Paige and Henry were all attending a benefit for families affected by violence at city hall tonight. Phoebe was already at her loft getting ready because as a board member she was expected to arrive early. Patience had come back from the building's gym to find her youngest sister plastering on pink lipstick.

"Patience, you're in charge tonight try not to fight with your sisters? Order a pizza and don't invite anyone over?' Phoebe was hollering as she ran back and forth from her bathroom to her bedroom.

"Yes mom." Patience nodded distractedly. Coop had lifted Primrose up onto the counter and was wiping the lipstick off her cheeks with a wet towel. His caring eyes studied his oldest daughter for a few moments without speaking.

"Princess?" Coop said quietly.

"Daddy?" She fluttered her eyelashes breaking out of her concentration.

"Is something wrong?' He asked her.

"Something feels strange." Patience shrugged not able to get rid of the nagging feeling she had since lunch about the looming doom.

"Are you feeling sick?" Coop asked as he placed the back of his hand against her forehead. She shook her head and gave him a soft smile.

"No it's probably nothing, maybe I didn't do well on that test I took today." Patience forced a grin up at her father. Coop gave her a worried glance but Phoebe came running out of her bedroom.

"We have to go, we're going to be late." She laced her arm into Coops and pulled him towards the door. Penelope opened the door at the exact right moment allowing Phoebe to flutter through and peek her middle child on the forehead.

"Be good. We'll be home by 11, call if you need anything." Phoebe rushed out and Coop winked at his daughters as he followed his wife. Penelope didn't greet either of her sisters but stormed into her shared room with Primrose and slammed the door behind her, locking out her youngest sister.

"Is Pen mad at me?" Prim asked her oldest sister.

"Nah, of course not. She's just moody, why don't you pick a movie we can watch?" Patience suggested as she looked worriedly at the shut door.

The door slammed as Piper splashed into the flooded private party room. Prue was waving her hands about trying to get all the tables and chairs of the room into the one dry corner of the room. One of the servers popped his head in from the kitchen door.

"Piper, water is flooding into the kitchen…" The young man said nervously.

"Oh for Christ Sake!" Piper screamed. Grace hiding above the ceiling panels stomped down and part of the ceiling collapsed inward. Piper threw her hands up and froze the falling dry wall. She grumbled to herself and pulled out her cell phone. Olivia was crossing wires magically in the electrical room. The lights started flickering as the ceiling drywall slammed into the puddle of water in front of Piper.

"Leo, my restaurant is falling apart!" Piper panicked into the phone. "It seems a pipe burst and the ceiling is falling in…"

"I'll be there in a few minutes." Leo sighed into his phone and snapped it shut. Grabbing his car keys from the entryway table Leo was putting on his coat as Melinda and Javin walked out of the dinning room munching on cupcakes.

"Where you going Dad?" Melinda asked.

"Apparently your mother thinks the restaurant is falling apart." Leo responded.

"Want us to come and help Mr. Halliwell?" Javin offered.

"Well a pipe burst. She might need help moving inventory." Leo said thoughtfully.

"We'd love to help, let me grab a jacket." Melinda ran up the stairs quickly. Just reaching her arm into her room to grab her jacket before turning back to go downstairs. Chris walked out of his room yawning having just woken up from a nap.

"Where are you going?" He demanded blocking her path to the stairs.

"Something's going on at mom's restaurant, Javin and I are going to help dad." Melinda pushed her way past her older brother. Chris stepped with her until the top of the stairs where he noticed his father was standing in the entryway waiting.

"They're going with you?" Chris asked trying to keep the suspicion out of his voice.

"Yeah, want to come help?" Leo asked as Melinda hopped down the steps.

"No," Chris said looking down the hall as Wyatt walked out of the bathroom in a robe. "I have some studying to do." He mumbled.

"Well let's get a move on you know how patient your mother is." Leo hurried Javin and Melinda out the door.

"Be good." Leo shouted at Chris before closing the door to the manor. Chris hurried back into his room to change into a button up shirt and comb through his hair, if he was going follow his big brother on a date he planned on looking presentable.

Three completely identical grandfather clocks started chiming at the each same time around the city. A few Christmases ago, Wyatt and Chris had orchestrated the joke, magically duplicating the grandfather clock of the manor twice to give each of their aunts. On the cards with each clock the boys wrote that though they had wanted to make Harry Potter clock that magically kept track of family members the best they had been able to come up with was a uniform item that demons could crash into at each dwelling.

At the second chime of the grandfather at the Mitchell resident forced young Henry off the couch. Standing at the door was Adam, shoulders hunched forward and gangly arm pushing forward his peace offering of a pizza. Before Henry could object to the boy's presence though Patricia came bounding down the hall, handed off the pizza to her older brother and jumped into Adam's arms.

At the fourth chime of the grandfather at the manor echoed in the empty house. Both brothers had orbed to P3 blocks away just seconds before.

As the eighth and final chime bounced off the walls of the Cupid loft, Patience stopped breathing as she felt a chilling breeze escape from the crack under her sisters' room. The high pitch tone of her pop song ring tone came muffled out of her back pocket and Patience scrambled to answer. Primrose ignored her older sister as she intently watched Princess Buttercup on the screen.

"Hello?" Patience's voice was agitated as she focused her attention on the closed door.

"Your sister is climbing out the window." Dervin's voice sounded was a mix of amusement and concern.

"Where are you?" Patience demanded.

"On the sidewalk, outside your building." Dervin responded. "You mentioned your parents were going to be at that benefit dinner, thought I might bring you a latte."

"And my sister is climbing out the window?" Patience was trying to calculate a plan in her head.

"It seems that way." Dervin responded.

"Come up." Patience sighed snapping the phone shut. She ran into her sisters' room and without thinking froze her sister on the fire escape. Flipping back around hoping that she would remain frozen for at least a few minutes she walked back into the living room.

"Chris! Wyatt!" Patience called at the ceiling before Dervin knocked at the door.

"Is something wrong?" Primrose asked frowning at her older sister.

"No, no sweetheart." Patience patted her little sister's head as she scampered to get the door. Dervin held out a cup and smiled at her.

"You just going to let her go?" He asked.

"No. Can you sit here with Prim for a second?" Patience tilted her head and Dervin nodded. The broad shoulder senior in high school plopped himself down on the couch with the second grader that was about the height of one of his legs.

"Princess Bride huh? What's your favorite part?" Dervin asked. Primrose looked at the strange boy curiously before delving into a description of every detail of her favorite scene. Patience scampered back into her sisters' room, checking to see that Penelope was still completely motionless on the fire escape.

"CHRIS!" Patience hollered in a hoarse whisper. A series of white and blue orbs appeared in the middle of the room.

"What is wrong?" Chris demanded. Patience pointed and his brown eyes followed the direction of her finger to catch a glimpse of his cousin frozen.

"Where she going?" He demanded. Patience shrugged.

"I don't know, Dervin's here though and I was thinking maybe I could follow her and find out something more?" Patience half asked, half explained.

"I can't stay with Prim." Chris was shaking his head. "I'm tailing Wyatt, something weird is going on with him."

"Is that why he didn't respond to me? Fine, take her to grandpa's. She can't stay here alone." Patience begged.

"All right." Chris nodded and walked out in the living room. "Let's go Prim, you're going to hang out with Grandpa." Chris bent down over the couch to let his youngest cousin throw her arms around his neck. Carrying her out with him into the hallway before orbbing away.

"Chris was here, I didn't see his…" Dervin didn't even finish his question instead he started a new one, " So we going to follow her?"  
Patience nodded and smiled. "If you don't mind?"

"Never a boring night with a Halliwell." Dervin smiled nodding and dashingly offered her his arm. Hearing the clanking of the fire escape Patience knew that her sister had finally unfrozen.

Chris had reappeared in the storage room of his mother's club. He was hoping that all of the bartenders and servers were newer and wouldn't recognize him or Wyatt. He ducked out onto the main floor of the club, though P3 had changed little over the last two decades it was still considered a city hotspot. Stealing an unattended beer bottle from a nearby table to help him blend in, Chris weaved around the bar tables.

"You know if you're going to carry around the bottle you might as well drink from it." Kron mocked as he leaned over his table towards Chris. A flicker of recognition crossed Chris face at the voice. Kron sat nonchalantly at a table, drinking a simple scotch on the rocks. Wearing a navy sports coat and a plain white tee, with an expression of slight boredom he blended perfectly with the setting around him.

"Who are you?" Chris asked confused.

"You recognize my voice?" Kron smiled nodding as he took another sip. As a waitress walked by, Kron stopped her. "Bring my friend here another beer."

With a flash of his perfect teeth and a wink of one of his shimmering baby blues and the waitress nodded and walked away in a daze.

"But I don't…" Chris started.

"Oh nonsense. Of course you do." Kron laughed and kicked out on of the stools next to him. "No worries your brother won't go far without me knowing, he is after all with my other half." Kron clasped his hand over Chris shoulder.

"Your other half?" Chris craned his neck around to stare at the girl with Wyatt. He swung his head back and forth trying to find some kind of resemblance between the guy sitting with him and the girl sitting with Wyatt. Their skins tones were from different sides of the equator, their eyes were in different areas of the color wheel, and their hair was so blonde it was glowing under the lights or so dark it blended into the shadows. But there was something similar about them, something that did connect them to each other and though Chris couldn't see it, he felt it.

"You know we won't hurt you." Kron stated.

"What are you?" Chris asked as the waitress left his drink in front of him.

"That's rather unimportant." Kron shrugged. "More important is that girl that just walked in was sent here to kill you." Kron tilted his perfectly pointed chin up towards the stairs that lead down to the dance floor. A young woman in tight black leather pants, a bare midriff, a white tank top that laced up in the front and a red jacket sauntered down the steps. Her eyes burned through the crowd and as she scanned over Chris head he thought he saw them glitter gold.

"How did she know I would be here?" The question was more an accusation than anything else.

"Tracked you." Kron shrugged. "Here's the thing though, you could charm her out of killing you. It wouldn't be that hard, you just have to stay confident. Which really just means you should stay away from big bro over there." Kron commented taking another sip from his drink.

"But…" Chris started.

"He'll be too distracted by Anka to take notice of you for now anyway." Kron smiled and pushed the beer at Chris.

"But why?" Chris demanded eyeing the beer trying to make the decision of drinking it.

"Believe me, Anka has distracted kings from battle and greater heroes from destinies." Kron laughed waving his hand at Chris forcing the young Halliwell's hand to grasp the beer bottle. Before Chris could ask another question though Kron waved the bottle up forcing Chris to drink.

"Why?" Kron asked for him as he swallowed. "Look at her, she's the very definition of beauty, youth and passion. If you ever wondered what those words looked like, she's it." Kron shrugged.

"But what does she want with Wyatt?" Chris slammed the bottle down forcefully.

"Nothing in particular. She helps him relax and is giving him confidence at the same time." Kron started tapping his fingers on the table in beat with the music.

"But…" Chris started arguing.

"No more time to explain anything young friend, dance with her. Be your charming self, it might save your life tonight." With that advice Kron kicked the stool that Chris had been on and the brunette tumbled rather ungraciously into Bianca. He dropped the half empty beer bottle and it shattered under their feet.

The sound of shattering glass is similar to the screeching sound of a charge calling a white lighter in panic. Paige's right hand shot up to her ear instantly as dinner was being served in front of them.

"Damn it." Paige muttered.

"Really?" Phoebe wrinkled her nose. Paige closed her eyes to focus for a moment and then nodded.

"It's Billie, why can't she stay out of trouble for once in her life." Paige groaned.

"Under the table?" Henry lifted the tablecloth for her and Paige slipped under the table pretending to reach for her purse and orbed out.

"Now it's just for you to get called away…" Phoebe sighed.

"How are you able to get away tonight, isn't Valentine's Day one of your biggest seasons?" Henry asked.

"I did most of my match making last week, and then you know I'll work overtime on the actual day." Coop smiled.

"So how do you two feel about Patience dating Dervin?" Henry asked as he took a bite of a roll.

"She's not dating anyone." Phoebe replied resolutely.

"Are you sure?" Henry frowned.

"No, she thinks if she says it enough she might be able to turn it into fact." Coop sighed.

"You don't like him?" Henry studied her face but didn't give her a chance to respond. "You haven't met him."

"How do you know him?" Coop said absently as he was trying to remember if he had ever even seen the boy his daughter was interested in.

"I'm his parole officer." Henry stated. "He's not a bad kid Phoebe, he was strays a little but mostly he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people."

Adam Ankron was bad people, Henry just knew it fuming from his recliner watching his younger sister playfully flirt with her so-called boyfriend. He had been overruled when he attempted to not let Adam into the apartment, but as the older brother he had refused to leave them alone. Adam was leaning into kiss Tricia, as Henry cleared his throat menacingly. Adam rolled his eyes tiring of the situation, he discreetly waved his hand behind Tricia's back causing something to come crashing down in the kitchen. Henry jumped up mumbling that he would be right back and walked down the hall to see what damage had been done in the kitchen.

Dora blowing candles on and off with her breathing on the dining room table. When Henry entered she was started creating a pyrotechnic show before the two siblings very eyes. The dining room table went up in angry flames. Henry reacted by swinging his arm out to his sister and orbbing the two of them into the hallway.

"Patricia, we're going to need some help!" Henry shouted down the hallway.

"I'm busy!" Tricia said back.

"I don't care!" Henry shouted back. "What the hell were you doing?" He demanded of the sister he was still clutching.

"Fooling around." Dora shrugged. "It should be fine, as soon as Tricia puts it out."

"Stay here." Henry pushed her against the wall as he stormed down the hallway to get the twin that could shoot icicles.

The night air was so cold that Patience could see her own breath. Dervin shrugged off his jacket and quietly placed it over her shoulders. The couple waited at the corner of the block until they watched Penelope cross the street and meet with Julian under a street light outside of closed market.

"This isn't the type of place I would bring a pretty girl." Dervin whispered to Patience.

"This isn't just a boy meets girl." Patience whispered back. They watched from a distance. Julian leaned down kiss Penelope, pulling up only slightly as he rested his forehead on her head. With every exhale Julian was putting Penelope into a further trance. After a few minutes of this, Pen's eyes were completely blank and she stood ready to do as she was told. Julian started whispering directions on how to fake a break-up as he waved his arms and paced angrily.

Anka lifted her hand caressing Wyatt's pale cheek lovingly.

"Oh young king after tonight you might not like me as much. But know that I didn't do as I was told…" She kissed his cheek.

"Why do you call me king? And why won't I like you?" Wyatt said trying hard to concentrate on her words over the music and the intense desire to just make out with her.

"I call you by what you are and I know you well. So much like Arthur, so much heart." Anka's fingertips played over the left side of his chest.

"Why are you being so cryptic tonight?" Wyatt asked her as he caught her hand in his.

"Often times with kings and heroes verses said in secret are better remembered than those said straight forward. Its something about how your minds work." Anka giggled.

"In secret?" Wyatt groaned aggravated.

"Yes king Arthur, remember those who ask shall receive and power comes to those who call. Also trust Mark Anthony." Anka laughed in his ear.

"Mark Anthony like the old singer?" Wyatt frowned but at that moment he caught his younger brother's emerald eyes. "Chris?" He hissed.

It was like a play was unfolded before their very eyes. Penelope and Julian were perfectly framed within their spotlight provided by the street lamp. Penelope hit all her cues loud enough for her audience to hear from down the block and Julian moved correctly in frustration around her. Patience frowned as she leaned towards Dervin.

"Do you think they know that we're here?" She worried. Dervin was shaking his head, as Penelope looked straight in their direction, her blank black eyes glimmering in the light.

"I hate you." She said quickly looking back up at Julian, though Patience was sure that the comment was directed to her. Penelope stormed off away from them down another street and Julian shoving his hands into his pockets looked down for a second. After taking in a deep breath, Julian looked back up and gave Patience and Dervin a victorious smile before following Penelope.

"That was creepy." Dervin commented.

"Something's wrong, they know we're here." Patience panicked again. As Dervin took a step forward though a group of demons rose from the concrete sidewalk. A volley of fireballs was flung at the young witch and mortal without any warning but a startled Patience was able to start the first wave.

"What the hell…" Dervin started but Patience shook her head. Keeping her hands up as a second volley of fireballs was shot at them and the first set unfroze. Patience grabbed Dervin's hand and tried to pull him backwards, knowing there was no way that she could defeat all these demons by herself.

"Chris, Wyatt, Henry, somebody…" Patience whispered desperately.

"I'm not sure they are going to hear you whispering babe." Dervin tried to lighten the situation as he ducked another fireball.

At this point two things happened simultaneously. Around one block corner Grace had arrived and Julian winked at his companion, as he bent down and sucked in dark steam from Penelope's face turned on his heel and blew the steam into Grace's face. The curly hair blond with sky blue eyes melted away and instantly there were two Penelope Halliwells, a girl with a vindictive smile and another with a empty look in her eyes. Around the other block corner, Dervin had stepped away from the demons first slamming straight into another group of demons. Without time to react, Dervin yelled a warning to Patience as two fireballs hit his body. The young man collapsed onto the ground and Patience went flying into the air, magically avoiding the fireballs in her panicked state she had gained her newest power.

Before Henry could re-enter the living room, Patricia had frozen shut the door. While Henry pounded on the door for a few moments before realizing that he could just orb into the room, Olivia appeared. She smiled mischievously at Adam before twirling around a limp Tricia. The white steam fluttered off the charmed twin and when Olivia stopped twirling she appeared to be a much livelier Patricia Halliwell.

"Be gone with you." Olivia winked and Adam scooping his hand under Tricia's kneecaps picked her up in one swift motion and the two figures dissolved just as Henry orbed into the living room.

Chris quickly led Bianca away from the bar and moved into the center of the dance floor away from his brother.

"Aren't you a little young to be in here?" Bianca asked him, giving him a critical look. Chris gave her a wide grin, shifting his hand on her back to bring her closer to him.

"I'm not that young." Chris twirled around a waitress, grabbing a martini off her tray and presenting it to Bianca. "Aren't you a little young?"

"Slick kid. Slick." Bianca rolled her eyes and took the drink. "You know what I'm here for?"

"Something about killing a rather handsome young man…" Chris smiled.

"And yet you're so cavalier about it?" Bianca asked.

"I thought if you got to know me you might like me." Chris shrugged.

"You are charming. And I don't want to hurt a child…" She smiled coyly.

"I am not…" Chris started but Bianca moved her hand to cover his mouth.

"But if I don't do something they will send someone that won't care that you're charming. Do you understand?" Bianca's liquid black eyes pierced through Chris. The sixteen-year-old swallowed and nodded.

"Maybe we'll see each other when you get older, you're cute." Bianca smiled as she leaned forward Chris kissed her. As he pulled away she whispered into his ear.

"I'm sorry," As she pushed a small athame into the side of gut perfectly missing anything vital but causing a great deal of pain. For good measure Bianca stabbed the boy twice more one in the upper part of his jeans and another in his shoulder and as he started to lose color in his face and scrunch down onto the ground she clasped his hand. Helping him down gently she whispered one last thing.

"Wyatt will be here soon. Be careful." And with that she pushed her way past the crowd.

"Wyatt," Chris groaned. Wyatt had caught the sight of his brother falling to the ground before he felt the sharp pain in his stomach, then his leg, and last his shoulder.

"Chris…" The name rang out in a single syllable from around the city. As Piper whispered it, dropping the flashlight she had been holding.

"Piper?" Leo popped his head out from under an electrical panel looking concerned.

"Melinda, where's Melinda?" Piper demanded. Her eyes searched the dark room for the door. Leo had been trying to figure out what had killed the lights more than an hour ago. While, Prue was trying to keep the back up generator working for the refrigerated. Melinda and Javin were working to move all the boxes in the storeroom off the ground to keep them from being damaged by the water that was still creeping in under the doors.

Melinda had fainted into Javin's waiting arms at the exact moment that Chris had been stabbed. Javin had settled her head into his lap and was leaning over her trying to get her to open her eyes.

"Come on Mel," He was whispering when Piper stormed into the room looking fierce.

"Melinda." She fell to her knees and at her touch; Melinda's eyes fluttered open.

"Something has happened to Chris." Melinda gasped sitting up with the help of Javin.

"Leo? This has demon-stration written all over it…" Piper had fixed her wording as her eyes had focused on Javin, who was looking terribly guilty. Prue walked into the room now frantic.

"Piper, Cole…" Prue started and Piper's hand twitched forward and she froze Javin.

"Demons! Demons did this to my restaurant and they've done something to my baby?" Piper glared at Prue. But the eldest Charmed Ones were stuck in their falling apart business because all the white lighters of their family were considerably tied up.

Paige was fighting a battle with some small faction of demonic leaders at the tip of South America with Billie. Wyatt was dragging his younger brother's limp body towards a small storage closet in P3. Patricia and Pandora were currently at a magical war with each other and Henry was desperately trying to mediate before their apartment went up in fire and ice.

Dervin was losing blood and color to his face rapidly. The moment that the mortal boy hit the ground all the attacking demons had disappeared before Patience had any time to take out her anger on them.

"Wyatt! Henry! Chris! Aunt Paige! PLEASE!" Patience was begging the dark night sky. She had tears running down her face as she struggled to get Dervin's head into her lap.

"Please don't die." She was whispering to him. "Just a little longer, someone will heal you. Someone will heal you." She repeated the words to herself. She was working hard to concentrate on breathing and keeping herself together as Cole appeared behind her.

"Call for an ambulance." He suggested quietly. "Just in case they can't get here in time."

Patience swallowed and the heat from her cheeks drained as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

Coop's hand clutched his left arm in pain as a searing pain ripped through his body.

"Patience." Coop cried out his daughter's name. "Her heart, I have to…"

Phoebe gave a stiff nod to him as he clutched his arm and moved to a secluded area behind a plant and disappeared in a red light.

"Something is going on." Henry stated knowing there was no denying it at this point. He pulled out his cell phone to call his home to check on his own kids, the phone rang twice before it said that number was no longer in service. He tried his son and both his daughters cell phones when he was sent straight to voice mail with each.

"Phoebe?" He asked.

"Let's go, I can't feel anything good." She picked up the car keys that Coop had left behind and the two of them headed out.

Steam burst from the Mitchell apartment, as Pandora stood at one end of the hallway and Patricia at the other end. Flames streaming down setting pictures on fire from one end and ice cascading up frosting everything from the other end. At the point of intersection the two powers collided to form a warm and cold steam. Henry focused on trying to force the ice towards the fire that was burning items in the hallway but was failing at calming either of his sisters.

"WYATT! CHRIS!" He called desperately. But when no cavalry came from his cousins, instinctively ducking out of the way to avoid being barbequed or frozen he had another idea.

"SAM!" He shouted into the clouds of steam rolling over his head. The Mitchell's grandfather orbed into the middle of the fight unaware of the danger and HJ slammed into the older man pushing him out of harm's way.

"Sorry Grandpa, little bit of a world war 3 going on in the Mitchell household. I can't get them to stop." Henry shouted.

"Where is your mom?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. At some dinner I think, can we do the lecture thing later and stop them from killing each other?" The young man demanded.

Wyatt dropped his brother's shoulders onto the ground and bent down over his bloodiest wound.

"Ow," Chris sighed softly as his head hit the ground harshly.

"You unbelievable, irresponsible, impulsive idiot." Wyatt's voice was a strained mix of fear, annoyance and amusement.

"How many times have I told you that you do not need to follow me, if I don't tell you everything its because you're my little brother. You meddlesome fool." Wyatt kept on with his string of insults as he moved down to heel the stab in his younger brother's leg.

"Wyatt, Patience is calling." Chris groaned as the pain evaporated.

"And what are you even doing in this club, you're way to young to be here. And did I see you were drinking? Because you need another way to be reckless, uncontrollable power isn't enough of a high for you. Audacious self-deprecating pest."

"Wyatt!" Chris said stronger this time as Wyatt had healed his last wound.

"Patience," Chris said.

"And Henry…" Wyatt swallowed apprehensively. "I can't go two places at once."

"I'll go to Patience." Chris pushed himself up on his elbows.

"But you're the dimwit that just almost got himself killed, I can't. You could be too weak," Wyatt didn't even finish the sentence before his name was being screamed again in his name. Chris disappeared into white orbs and though Wyatt disapproved of the action plan, he orbed to Henry.

"Put pressure on where he's bleeding. That's it, it's going to be ok." Cole hovered above Patience and Dervin, pacing around her in a protective circle watching for other demons. Coop's heart appeared first and then his massive body blocked the little light streaming down on the couple. Coop looked down and saw his daughter, tears streaming down her face and her eyes a burgundy color that matched her tinted tears.

"Princess." Coop bent down, seeing for the first time the damaged boy in her lap. Understanding dawned on him suddenly and his eyes shifted around in search of the attackers.

"Daddy, his heart. I can't feel…" Patience's hands trembled as she kept pressing down on the boy's most significant wound.

"It's still beating princess." Coop nodded. The little sidewalk got brighter as Chris appeared above them, his body tense and ready for a fight. His green eyes caught sight of the blood and he knew he was too late. The sirens of the ambulance were closer now, maybe two blocks away.

"Heal him. Do something!" Patience begged Chris. Chris shook nervously as he bent down, knowing he wasn't going to be able to heal anyone.

"What…" Chris started as he tried to hold his hands over the wound. Shaking uncontrollably, he waved them and internally begged his powers to work.

"Tell Coop to get Penelope." Cole suggested having wandered back from down the block. At the appearance of two physically present protectors, the spirit had wandered in search of Phoebe's second child.

"Why isn't it working?" Patience demanded.

"I can't heal Patience, you know that…" Chris whispered. "Uncle Coop, Penelope is here somewhere." Coop nodded not questioning how Chris knew that but quickly walked down the sidewalk seeking out his middle daughter's heartbeat.

"WHY! Get Wyatt!" Patience screamed at Chris.

"I can't," Chris shook his head defeated as he saw the ambulance lights flash at the end of the block.

"Exposure." Cole warned. Chris took a deep breath and nodded.

"Magic… what could have caused this." Chris said softly and with all the anger, resentment and adrenaline coursing through the very powerful young witches body there wasn't even a need for a spell. A car appeared out of thin air slammed on the driver's side into the light post. Glass chards fell around the teenagers and the light pole shook unexpectedly as the ambulance pulled up next to them. The paramedics wasted no time in hoisting Dervin up and checking over Patience. Chris stepped back defeated, he clutched the dark wall of the market building. Coop came jogging up with Penelope being towed behind him.

"I'll go to the hospital, take her home." Coop pushed his younger daughter towards Chris.

"Check on Primrose." Patience sighed before collapsing in the arms of the paramedic that had been checking her heart rate.

Chris took a step forward but Coop pushed out his hand palm forward.

"Go. Check on Primrose someone is out to get us tonight." Coop warned. Chris nodded wrapping his arm around Penelope's waist and ducking into the alleyway. Cole didn't move from Patience's side, as he whispered sonnets and stories into her ear even after she had lost consciousness.

"ENOUGH!" Wyatt yelled his shield automatically rising above him sending fire and ice back to their origins. The twins orbed out of their spots, avoiding being in their own crossfire. Moving away from their battle positions, the girls suddenly snapped out of their anger.

"Oh my god." Pandora whistled looking at the massive amount of destruction that she had caused.

"Mom is going to kill us." Patricia nodded stunned.

"Mom, look at Wyatt…" Dora blinked starring at Wyatt. He was shaking with fury in the middle of the hallway. He was trying very hard to calm his breathing and his hands were on both side of his forehead rubbing his temples.

"A brother that's trying to get himself killed, and cousins that are trying to kill each other. But everything is just peachy." He was murmuring to himself.

"Why were you two trying to kill each other exactly?" Sam asked coming out from behind the doorframe of Henry's room.

"Tricia was just bothering me." Dora shrugged.

"And Dora is an insensitive bitch." Tricia gritted her teeth and then started to cry.

"Why is she crying?" Wyatt demanded from his fixed spot in the hallway.

"Adam broke up with her, I told her she was better off. We got into a fight. Sisters fight." Dora commented rolling her eyes.

"Sisters do not destroy their house in the process!" Sam argued.

"Not ones that want to live long anyway." Henry sighed. "Wy, Patience?"

"She stopped calling, Chris went to her…" Wyatt opened his eyes and the blue burned into Dora and Tricia. The front door was kicked in and Henry stormed in holding his gun, not sure what to expect. His arms fell to his side and his mouth hung open at the scene he discovered.

"Mom is calling." Wyatt started to orb away as he heard his Aunt Phoebe's startled scream.

Leo had left to drive Javin and Melinda home, Prue and Piper had given up and magically fixed all the problems of the restaurant and called all the white lighters they knew. Wyatt orbed right in front of his mother; Piper threw her arms around him lovingly.

"Chris? Tell me he's all right? Did he go demon hunting by himself again? I'm going to kill your little brother you know that right?" Piper expressed all her feelings into her son's chest. Wyatt hugged his mother back, happy to see that she was in no immediate danger as his shoulders relaxed.

"Chris was stabbed." Wyatt started.

"What! Take me to him, you healed him and you left him alone!" Piper pounded a fist into Wyatt's shoulder accusingly.

"Mom, mom, hold on. He was stabbed but I did heal him and then we had other problems to do with." Wyatt sighed.

"Other problems?" Piper demanded her eyebrows shooting up.

"Chris went to Patience and I went to deal with Pandora and Patricia who were trying to kill each other." Wyatt commented.

"PAIGE!" Piper screamed. The youngest charmed sister appeared breathless with a tore satin dress.

"Come on, Henry is calling to. You were on the way." Paige grabbed Prue and Wyatt grabbed Piper.

"You look ridiculous." Prue commented.

Chris appeared in his grandfather's dark living room holding Penelope closely to his chest still. The supposed Penelope hadn't said much and now Chris realized that she had fallen asleep in his arms. Holding a bat Victor flipped the light switch on.

"I've already called the cops." He threatened.

"Sure you have grandpa." Chris laughed as he placed Penelope onto the couch and slipped a blanket on top of her.

"Chris? What's going on?" Victor demanded of his grandson.

"Has anyone else come here tonight?" Chris asked urgently. Victor shook his head.

"Does your mother?" Victor started and Chris' hand flew over his ear.

"Yeah. She knows." Chris nodded grimacing. "Do you still have crystals?" Chris asked suddenly. Victor nodded. Chris waved his waved his hands magically placing a protective circle of crystals around his grandfather's apartment.

"The girls are safer here with you for right now. If anything happens at all, call for us?" Chris asked seriously.

"Christopher what is going on?" Victor demanded.

"If only I knew gramps. If only I knew." Chris closed his eyes. "One of us will be back for them soon, Prim's ok?"

"She's asleep. She was worried but I finally got her to go to bed." Victor sat down beside his granddaughter and stroked her dark hair.

"Thanks Grandpa, I'll let you know what's going on soon. Mom's calling." Chris rubbed his ear as he orbed away again.

The grandfather clock of the manor struck ten, echoing the chimes off of every hallway in the house. Chris orbed into the attic, where his mother and aunt Phoebe pounced on him.

"Are you all right?" Piper lifted up his shirt to examine his torso.

"You told her I got stabbed?" Chris demanded of Wyatt. Wyatt shrugged and nodded from his spot on the couch with Prue. They were flipping through the book of shadows together trying to identify the girl that Wyatt had been with tonight and the one who had stabbed Chris.

"My girls?" Phoebe asked her nails digging into Chris arm.

"I just left them with Grandpa and I set crystals. They should be fine. They were both asleep. You talked to uncle Coop?" Chris sighed. Phoebe had wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him grateful for his protecting her daughters and for him still being alive.

"We still pretending nothing is happening?" Phoebe demanded of her sisters.


	12. Down the Rabbit Hole

_***author's note: Sorry this chapter took so long to come up, I actually re-wrote it three times. This is what finally stuck, I am actually going to see if I can finish the next chapter this weekend… we shall see, the action is getting complicated. I think there are about maybe 2 to 3 chapters left of this saga, so enjoy and remember to leave feedback! ***_

**Down the Rabbit Hole **

"I told you something was happening! It all started with that group of dark lighters that went after Wyatt and I…" Chris started to wave his arms around in exasperated explanation.

"There really is something going on, and our powers keep flexing in odd ways. One moment we have a surge of great power and then the next, it feels like we've lost powers." Wyatt frowned pressing his hand to his temple trying to make sense of the situation.

"Because of the demons." Chris pointed out.

"Look boys, we're going to figure this out. Why don't both of you go rest, I'll make you some tea in just a little bit." Piper had both her hands on each boys' shoulders as she guided them out of the attic.

"Mom," Wyatt started.

"You can't be serious?" Chris looked incredulously at his mother.

"Mom, we can help you know. We probably know more about this then you even do at this point." Wyatt argued, pushing all his weight into the heels of his feet like a naughty toddler.

"The demon talk isn't going to scare us mom, we're totally old enough for this now." Chris tried to shrug off her hand on his shoulder.

"Piper," Prue sighed.

"I know you're not peanut. But why don't you boys just let us deal with this." Piper practically cooed at Chris.

"Mom!" Chris stomped his foot and Wyatt choked back a laugh at how childish his younger brother looked.

"Mom, I don't think this is your fight…" Wyatt tried a different approach. His voice was not as full of injustice, but rather calm and collected.

"Nonsense, demons attacking my children is always my fight! Now stop being difficult and go on with both of you." Piper pushed them slightly towards the door now. Both boys though stood there ground and spun around to face their mother and aunts.

"We are not babies anymore mom." Wyatt sighed.

"And you aren't the only ones with powers." Chris gritted his teeth angrily.

"Piper, maybe we should…" Phoebe started.

"No. No, we shouldn't. Patience was attacked tonight too Phoebe," Piper glared at her sons.

"Piper, the boys might understand the patterns then we do. I mean they were there when it was happening…" Paige tried.

"No. My absolutely reckless childish sons, who were in P3 getting stabbed and drinking? Those boys… who got to Patience too late to protect her or her little boyfriend? Or who almost let the twins destroy themselves? Those sons?" Piper's voice was high pitch and deathly threatening. The fight was taken out of Wyatt and Chris, as they both looked down at their shoes ashamed of themselves. It seemed their mother did know a little more about their evening's activities then they suspected she had.

The attic was completely silent, heavy with accusations and lectures yet to be heard about responsibility.

"Mom, look I'm sorry. It's my fault we were in P3, but the threat we figured it out earlier and…" Wyatt started.

"I tried to heal him, I did…" Chris whispered the guilt of Dervin clouding his thoughts.

"Piper, I know the boys were irresponsible but they still might be able to help. They aren't children anymore." Prue tried to reason with her younger sister.

"If my sons," Piper crossed her arms as she spoke, "had listened to their mother in the first place, none of these things would have happened. Maybe you should think about while you are both getting ready for bed and not in the attic."

There was no room for any more argument. Wyatt gave his mother one more pleading look but with her foot tapping and her arms crossed he only saw disappointment. Chris didn't even try to look at his mother but instead looked to his aunts desperately willing one of them to stand up for him. But they all shook their heads at him. There was no helping the matter Piper's mind was made up. Chris shoved his hands angrily into his jean pockets and was about to open his mouth to argue more when Wyatt's hand smacked into the back of his neck. Clutching his younger brother, Wyatt walked out of the attic dragging the reluctant Chris with him.

The four charmed ones stood quiet for a moment before Piper heaved in a deep breath and turned around to face her sisters.

"Piper," Phoebe started.

"Don't you start with your mumble jumble about my attachment and empty nest issues Phoebe." Piper pointed angrily at her younger sister as she strode over to the book of shadows.

"Did you really think it was wise not to find out more about the situation from them Piper?" Paige asked tapping her fingers against the window.

"I wasn't about to reward them for their abhorrent behavior tonight Paige. If they want to be treated like adults, they should start acting like adults. Not sneaking around, or using their magic in every situation, or running recklessly into a fight without a plan." Piper ranted while she flipped through pages of the book of shadows.

"But Piper, we were reckless when we were young. And by we, I really mean Phoebe, but still…" Prue smiled.

"I was pretty reckless too…" Paige added shrugging.

"There's a difference, we almost had to be to survive. They don't, they don't have to be this reckless. There is no reason for them to put themselves in this kind of danger, to not let us help. None." Piper was angrily flipping pages.

"Don't take it out on the book." Phoebe placed her hands on top of the book to keep Piper from tearing one of the ancient pages.

"Maybe, they have to be reckless for the same reason you girls had to be reckless." Leo was standing in the doorway, holding a tray of coffee that he had brought up.

"Excuse me?" Piper demanded of her husband. Prue excitedly took the coffee and poured herself a cup.

"Recklessness breeds experience and even more importantly it breeds confidence." Leo shrugged. "Unfortunately."

"I'm not calling them back up here. We can get their help tomorrow for tonight, they're on time out." Piper gritted her teeth as she stared down at the page featuring the Academy.

Downstairs, Wyatt threw himself onto his full sized bed.

"I'm going to be grounded for the rest of my life." He moaned into the pillow.

"That's definitely our biggest problem, how long your going to be grounded for." Chris rolled his eyes plopping himself down on the edge of the bed. Melinda had trailed in behind him, wearing one of Wyatt's old football jerseys and a pair of torn up sweat pants.

"Mom is so pissed at you two." She nodded grabbing the bottom of Chris' t-shirt and pulling it up in the exact same way his mom had only moments ago.

"Mel," Chris whined as he pushed down his shirt and slapped away her hands.

"You got stabbed!" She frowned and punched his shoulder before grabbing his t-shirt again.

"And yet I'm sitting here talking to you, so obviously I' alive." Chris snapped.

"Don't snap at her for caring." Wyatt gave a muffled growl. "Just because you're a moron who likes to almost get himself killed regularly doesn't mean anyone has stopped caring."

Chris threw his head back allowing his body to fall with him, just missing the wall with his head by centimeters. Melinda frowned at her older brother's melodramatics as she pulled his shirt back down and started petting Wyatt's wild curls.

"Chris is going to be grounded longer than you are, if it makes you feel any better?" She offered.

"Cute Mel," Chris groaned from his place at the end of the bed.

"It would if I thought that would keep the idiot safe." Wyatt mumbled lifting his arm to point at Chris.

"Chris can take care of himself Wy, I know that he doesn't demonstrate it too often. But you and I both know he can." Melinda kicked at Chris a little bit with her toes. Chris lifted his head slightly to wink at her before lying back down.

"At least our little sister is responsible and level headed." Wyatt sighed flipping himself over to smile at Melinda.

"Yeah, perfect little Mel that ditched class the other day with her boyfriend." Chris sighed as he flicked his fingers watching the electricity shot out.

"You did what?" Wyatt sat up and glared at Melinda.

"Sometimes I hate you." Melinda slammed her foot into Chris' knee sending him off the bed and onto the ground rather ungraciously. "Wyatt don't act like you've never done it." She added glancing at her oldest brother weary of the lecture he was formulating behind those critical blue eyes.

"Melinda, Melinda, Melinda. You know that Wyatt is all about do what I say, not what I do…" Chris popped his head up and smiled at them both.

"You shut up." Wyatt snapped at him. "Melinda?"

"Really? No." Melinda shook her head and smiled. "Why don't you tell me if it's true that Tricia and Dora were trying to kill each other with their powers?"

"It is true, nice try at deflection there." Wyatt scratched behind his ear.

"Well deflection or not, they've been acting strange and all but that's truly unlike them. To use their powers on each other, that's like me using my powers on one of you…" Melinda sighed.

"You have." Chris pointed out jumping back onto the bed.

"Ok, let me re-phrase that. We've never tried to hurt each other with our magic. Not really, I mean you two fight with each other… but just like a black eye here…" Melinda started.

"And a broken rib there." Wyatt glared at Chris who was suddenly interested in the ceiling.

"Yes, yes. All right, so maybe we do. But Patricia and Pandora have never really fought with each other. Well not really, they started to get into the habit of just not talking to each other. But never anything physical, don't you think that's strange jump?" Melinda pressed.

"What are you getting at Mel?" Wyatt demanded.

"Dora did attack me." Chris started but one look from Wyatt, warned him not to over share anymore of that particular information. The Halliwell brothers had yet to include their little sister in the looming demon threats they sometimes faced, and this was not the time still.

"They've been acting strange. So has Penelope." Melinda sighed.

"That's cause Penelope is being induced with evil." Chris commented. "Tricia probably is too, and you… though I haven't figured that part out yet."

"Ignore him." Wyatt instructed. "Why are you bringing it up?"

"I just wondered who started it…" Melinda pursed her lips thoughtful for a second. Her eyes glazed over for a second and the girl swayed suddenly.

"Melinda?" Wyatt prompted. Chris' green eyes squinted at her though curiously. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes again and gazed at her brothers.

"What'd you see?" Chris asked. Wyatt cocked his head to one side and stared at Chris questioning his question.

"It is the third power of three, and seeing as you and I hadn't developed it yet. We both share the telekinesis, she got the freezing power and it always seemed to be to be the fairest balance. I mean because we have all these other powers…" Chris shrugged.

"I saw girls, I don't recognize with Julian and Adam…" Melinda frowned trying to make sense of her vision.

"Is this the first time?" Wyatt started but Chris interrupted him.

"Were the girls wearing Red, Black or White?" He demanded. Melinda closed her eyes a moment and nodded.

"Yeah but why does that matter?" She demanded.

"Tonight? Did you see it tonight?" Chris asked.

"I think so," Melinda responded startled by Chris' urgency. Chris was putting together the puzzle, but the picture still wasn't making any sense to the boy. Leo knocked on the doorframe to Wyatt's room.

"Melinda, can I talk to your brothers?" Leo asked his youngest. Melinda bit her bottom lip anxiously but the look on her father's face told her that she didn't want to be in the room for the upcoming lecture. She squeezed Wyatt's arm and winked at Chris, pecking her father on the cheek she scurried down the hall to her own room.

"Boys?" Leo's voice was grave as he took a step into the room. Chris crossed his arms and stared at the ceiling not willing to meet his father's eyes. The surly youth was ready to accept the lecture in his teenage nonchalance that he had perfected over the years. Wyatt on the other hand was let his shoulders sag and his guilty eyes maintained eye contact with his father's.

"You know she was right, if you two just listened to her once in a while. None of this might have happened. Going after the dark lighters alone," Leo stared at Chris, who was still refusing to make eye contact.

"Dad, we're not little kids anymore though. It's not like we can't fight demons too. I'm the twice…" Wyatt started. Chris threw his hands up.

"Here we go. I'm the twice blessed… blah, blah, blah. I'm so powerful, I'm so capable…" Chris almost exploded as he mimicked his older brother.

"Christopher." Leo groaned sitting down at Wyatt's desk.

"I think you can take care of yourself too half-wit." Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"What?" Chris' eyes snapped down from the ceiling and stared at Wyatt.

"You're just as capable as I am, besides together we can fight just as well as mom and the aunts can. Mom shouldn't expect us to wait for Melinda to be ready too. I know we're going to be more powerful with Mel. But shouldn't we be more prepared to fight so that we're not all inexperienced when our time does come?" Wyatt asked his father.

Chris' mouth was hanging open at Wyatt's affirmation. Leo smiled at his sons, nodding.

"You're right. Of course, it's a great thought. But you have to understand you're mother has been protecting you since the moment you both were conceived. Even before," Leo ventured a side-glance at Chris, that wasn't noticed.

"But she can't keep protecting us. And she can't keep treating us like we don't know what's going on." Chris fought.

"She knows that." Leo nodded. "But just because you're powerful doesn't mean you don't need help sometimes, and it definitely doesn't mean the rules don't apply to you."

"We never said…" Chris started to argue and Wyatt kicked his younger brother's leg above the knee. Chris glared at Wyatt while rubbing his leg.

"It was my fault we were at the club, though I did tell him not to follow me." Wyatt rolled his eyes. "There was a girl,"

"Wait a minute!" Chris jumped up. Two sets of crystal blue eyes stared at him wearily awaiting his revelation. Chris was pacing back and forth in the tiny space of Wyatt's room.

"You were with a girl, named Anka. Who was the other half of Kron. Which I think is actually short for Kronos which means time, but was also one of the Gods that mom and the aunts fought…" Chris was mumbled more than actually speaking to his brother and father.

"You were with Anka and Kron?" Leo asked sitting up straighter suddenly. Wyatt and Chris nodded and looked at their father curiously surprised to have him recognize the names.

"They are the essence of youth." Leo sighed.

"The essence of youth?" Wyatt frowned.

"You two should really pay attention to your magical history lectures sometimes." Leo shook his head.

"She's distracted kings and heroes from battles and destinies. Anka is similar Ankh, the name of the Egyptian symbol for granting life…" Chris kept mumbling.

"They aren't allowed to get involved with magical youth." Leo frowned.

"What do you mean?" Wyatt asked ignoring Chris still mumbling about the similarities of Anka and Cleopatra.

"They have always existed and they are themselves very powerful beings. They are the keepers of the fountain of youth, it moves when they move and they move towards youthful places. But they have been at the center of many historical events, the children's crusades, Woodstock." Leo shrugged. "But they haven't been allowed to get involved in the magically young since their influences destroyed the island of Atlantis." Leo sighed.

"That's why this sounded familiar!" Chris snapped his fingers. "Anka, Kron. Anka, Kron. Wyatt!"

"Chris!" Wyatt said back sarcastically.

"Ankron," Chris was jittering he was so excited at his connection.

"The demons?" Leo asked.

"The Academy?" Wyatt questioned remembering what his brother had said about the demons earlier in the day.

"Boys what is going on?" Leo's tone was becoming impatient.

"The girls are dating members of the Academy." Chris spat out.

"I'm sorry?" Leo's eyebrows shot up.

"The girls were dating members of the Academy. And that little pixie of a creature that's friends with Dora, I think she's a member too." Chris nodded sure of himself.

"I think he's right, except for Javin of course." Wyatt commented.

"Javin is one too…" Chris argued.

"But they all broke up, except for Javin. That must mean that they figured out that they were in over their heads. But that would explain the attacks, did you tell your mother?" Leo stood up.

"We weren't allowed to give our input." Chris snapped. Leo crossed his arms and gave Chris a parental look of disapproval.

"Yeah, ok maybe we deserved it." Chris grumbled sitting back down under his father's gaze.

"We will talk about this more tomorrow. I have to talk to your mother. Good night boys." Leo said. With that he gave them one last warning look and closed the door.

"There's more to this?" Wyatt asked his younger brother.

"There has to be. I just can't see it." Chris sighed.

As the night sky blended seamlessly with the morning light all was still in the city. Clocks started chiming like a heartbeat signaling life to the slumbering. For all of Navya's faults, she was always on time and this dawn was no different. The last evening stars were fading out and the clocks were on their third strike when she appeared in the Mitchell's apartment. She ran her fingers along the walls of the hallway where frost and scorching were still present from the previous days battle between sisters. Navya's nose crinkled in displeasure at the thought that Olivia had forged the power of a charmed child. It was jealously, Navya hated not being a part of or at least trying everything the others did. Cart wheeling through the door, Navya arrived in style to the twins' bedroom.

"And Julian?" Olivia snarled from Patricia's bed.

"Late." Navya shrugged as she lifted Pandora to magically be floating above her bed. As the morning light hit Navya's feet, Julian appeared hair a mess and still in his red and black plaid pajama bottoms. Without a word he grabbed the sleeping girl and snapped his fingers at Navya and dissolved. Navya features changed slowly but as the sun hit her face she no longer looked like herself. She jumped into the empty bed and snuggled under the covers.

"Remember. Convincing Navya? No fooling around," Olivia warned.

"I'm an amazing actress Olivia, do try to remember that dear." Navya giggled fluttering her eyelids closed as the hallway door creaked open.

It was impossible to creak while walking on solid marble floors, but with every step Kron turned the marble to a creaky old wood. He stepped through steam and pushed away draping curtains with every step until reaching the middle of the space. Anka lounged in a freestanding bathtub immersed under water and bubbles.

"Dearest?" Kron sighed.

"Oh you're back, we should go Roman." Anka pushed her hands against the sides of the tub and suddenly it was a small pool, with floating candles and bubbles still layering the surface of the water.

"A shower wouldn't have sufficed?" Kron demanded as he slipped off his shoes.

"I like baths. So much more freedom to them." Anka twirled around in the water letting the bubbles cling to her body with every twist.

"Today is the day," Kron commented stepping into the water.

"I know can't you smell it," She smiled knowingly.

"You used the salts from Atlantis, my aren't we confident?" Kron laughed as he took a whiff of the steam rolling off the water.

"Passion, courage, strength, victory, sweat, struggle, ambition, everything all at once. Such a delightful smell, those witches in Atlantis understood me." Anka dunked her head under the water. Kron caught her submerged hair and started braiding the long dark locks before she came floated back up.

"Didn't we cause havoc that destroyed that island precious?" Kron laughed.

"Yes, and I so liked that island. We should find a new one…" Anka snapped her fingers and suddenly the two sculpted bodies of youth stood in fine robes on a beach.

"Take a deep breath." Kron whispered in Anka's dark ear, his own eyes closed as he inhaled.

"The charmed children, yes. Focus, they are going to be absolutely riveting." Happiness pulsed through them and Anka stepped up on her toes and kissed Kron passionately. Pulling away her grin was even bigger.

"Oh first love." She sighed. "What shall I wear?" And with that the essence of female youth was distracted again.

Below the loftily perch of the embodiments of youth, below the houses only just stirring awake, in the underworld of evil there was a conference of demons holding their breath.

"There is one more left with the gift of sight, without her flight we will lose the fight." A young oracle with exotic copper skin and silver irises announced. She sat on a decorated throne- like chair her blond almost white hair falling like a sheet over the armrest.

"Aren't there two left with sight?" A nearby demon snickered.

"Well she can only see into the past, maybe that makes a difference?" Another responded with a shrug.

"Pandora only sees the past, as her twin is the one who can see the future, her sight is limited. Also we have full control of Pandora at this point and she should be delivered soon." Mr. Tolliver swung his cane around impatiently.

"Our future king should find you appeasing Oralia, have you seen yourself being queen?" A figure shrouded in a dark cloak asked his voice had a faint tint of a British accent.

"My own path is not lit." The young women shrugged but she her smile was confident.

"But Tolliver! You will ensure that Piper's youngest is delivered to us by nightfall?" The shrouded figure demanded forcefully.

"Javin will do what he is told." Mr. Tolliver nodded gritting his teeth.

"Make sure that the boy does." The voice warned. Distant high pitch shrieking and laughter echoed faintly off the cave walls and all the demons present looked down. A group of trolls had entered dancing, jumping and shoving each other with little regard to the serious nature of the council of demons. Mr. Tolliver tapped his cane on the ground harshly to get the trolls attention.

"You should be use to general tom foolery Tolliver, spending centuries with teenagers must get tiring." The cloaked man chuckled as he bent down to one knee. The tip of his hood touched the dirt ground of the cavern as he started whispering to the leaders of the trolls. Mr. Tolliver eyed the group of young unattached demons standing to his right enviously while Oralia had motioned a demon forward to fan her. There was no speaking while the shrouded figure discussed business with the trolls, even the laughter had subdued. As the leader of the group raise his hand a flurry of wind and a blur of green carried away the entire group as quickly as they had arrived.

The man in charge stood back up still chuckling to himself.

"Trolls are interesting creatures. Generally completely disorganized and apart from the underworld of demons but for the chance to bring us a charmed child they jitter with excitement." His voice was warm with affection for the small creatures.

"Well off with you then, ensure that our guest rooms are set up well. Remember these children are intelligent and powerful and being charmed they are extremely lucky." He shook his head as he motioned for the group of demons to be gone.

"Tolliver, you're boy…" The voice warned yet again and Tolliver evaporated into air.

"And Oralia, find a nice little number for our court meeting tonight?" The voice urged and Oralia rolled her eyes as she held out her arms. The shrouded figure walked over to the lounging oracle and leaned over the pretty girl and as she wrapped her arms around him they both dissipated into black smoke.

The white heat steam rolled off the cars in front of the middle school forming a wintry haze around the building. Victor pulled away from the curb, starring into his rearview mirror watching as Penelope waved her dark braid over her backpack and she walked into the building. His old eyes moved slowly from watching one granddaughter walk away to smiling at his youngest granddaughter. Primrose sat directly in the center of the backseat, munching on a pink pop tart humming and bopping her head to the radio. When she noticed her grandfather watching her she smiled brightly for him, demonstrating her gaping baby teeth grin.

Victor let out a deep sigh as he focused back on the road in front of him. He was trying to not concentrate on how odd Penelope had been all morning. As a grandfather he could sense something was different about the girl, something was bothering her but when he had questioned the young girl she had shrugged him off. Victor was trying to convince himself that this was a normal twelve-year-old girl response to being questioned by an adult but he couldn't shake off the sense of foreboding. Phoebe had also dismissed it, a young girl having just broken up with her first boyfriend and slightly traumatized by the attack on her big sister. It didn't help that Piper and Phoebe were calling every five minutes. As if on cue his shirt pocket lit up as his cell phone rang again.

"Mommy is worried something is going to happen." Primrose chirped from the backseat, already knowing it had to be her mother because Piper had called last.

"Yes Phoebe?" Victor sighed. The first time that Phoebe had called the night before the old man had been beside himself with worry for not only his daughters but also all of his grandchildren. As the night and now morning had progressed and there was no new information but more phone calls, Victor couldn't help but find the experience tedious. As far as he was concerned there seemed to be a larger looming threat but he didn't think it was aiming for his girls this time. No, it seemed apparent that the targets were the children and it was beyond frustrating to Victor that this was happening again. He had stood by and watched his own daughters be attacked as children and as adults because of their magical heritage. But at least the girls were given the opportunity to live normal teenage lives because of their power bind, but not his grandchildren. Also, He wondered how the demonic community hadn't learned to not mess with his grandchildren yet? Piper had blown up a demonic black market. Paige had destroyed a brotherhood of ancient powers. Phoebe had turned a coven of dark witches into frogs permanently for trying to steal Penelope. Yet since their arrival in the womb, Wyatt and Chris were both constantly under attack. The other children fared fairly better and safer than the oldest boys but still some demons didn't learn well.

"Dad?" Phoebe prompted into the receiver.

"Phoebe, hold on." Victor responded as Primrose threw little arms around the headrest of his chair and over his shoulders.

"Bye grandpa, have a good day!" The little girl pecked her grandfather on the cheek and scampered out of the car.

Primrose skipped along into the school building happily without the heavy weight of worry the rest of her family had this morning. In the seven years of Primrose's life, she had never experienced a problem her family couldn't solve. Her experience proved that nothing was as serious as sometimes it seemed to be. Even more so the youngest had never been individually attacked like the rest of her cousins. Primrose's lack of developing powers had made her fall off the demonic radar almost completely. Also there was the nagging factor that being the baby of a large family left her extremely well protected at all times. Little did the child know that today was the day that all that would change.

Charlotte Bucan was hopping up and down in excited in the doorway of the elementary school. Charlotte was an eccentric little red head who never wore pink because it clashed with her hair, so she often opted for blue and was Primrose's best friend. Charlotte resembled the energizer bunny this morning as she shook with energy, clutching a package in her hand scanning the incoming students for her friend.

"Prim!" Charlotte screeched waving frantically. Primrose hopped up as many steps as she could at a time until she stood precisely in the doorway entering the school's main hallway.

"Look! Mom made us princess cupcakes! Yours has pink frosting and pink glitter and a gold crown on it!" Charlotte's excitement rushed her words as she pulled up the treats from her bag. Primrose clapped her hands and smiled down at the cupcake as if it were the greatest treasure in the world. Suddenly something hit Primrose's ankle and her knees buckled but before she could fall face first into her cupcake a hand caught her.

Mr. Broody pulled both girls out of the doorway quickly, his eyes darting back and forth suspiciously.

"You girls should be careful not to stand in doorways when people are coming in the morning." He sighed as he held his hand protectively over Primrose's shoulder. Charlotte laughed nervously as she put away the cupcake and nodded.

"Charlotte can I speak to Primrose for a second?" Mr. Broody asked. Charlotte's nose crinkled up and she puckered her lips as if she had popped a lemon into her mouth.

"Is she in trouble? We haven't even gone into the classroom yet!" Charlotte protested on behalf of her friend. Mr. Broody laughed and bent down to be at eye level with both little girls.

"No, no. Not in trouble, I just have to ask her a favor." He winked at Charlotte.

"But why would you need to ask her and not me," Charlotte was not easily swayed to leaving Primrose's side for anything.

"It's for her art project," Mr. Broody quickly came up with an acceptable response and Charlotte's eyes got big as she nodded. She took a few steps away but her gaze stayed glued on her best friend and her substitute.

Primrose tilted her head curiously at her teacher waiting for what he had to say. Kyle Broody had changed little in the fifteen years since he had last encountered a charmed witch. His complexion was still pale and his face was still that of a youthful twenty seven year old. He placed both his hands on the little girl's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. He wanted to make sure she understood the seriousness of his words.

"Primrose, you must stay out of the in-betweens today. Do you understand?" He asked her. The little girl blinked at him curiously and looked around before answering him.

"How do you know what in-betweens are? Are you magical too?" She demanded.

"Yes, I'm a white lighter. I am here to help you." He nodded.

"But you're our substitute teacher!" Primrose frowned.

"Yes, I'm both." Kyle smiled at her. Kyle hadn't known what to feel when he was told seven years ago that he would one day become the cupid charmed girls white lighter. They were the only set of cousins without their own built in white lighter and the Elders had anticipated they might need extra help. He had always known he would cross path with the Halliwells again, but he never expected to have their children as charges. Though he wasn't suppose to get involved with the girls for a few more years, the Elders were worried about the looming threat on the charmed cousins. So Kyle Broody had been sent to ensure Primrose's safety while she was away from her powerful family.

"Did a troll try to get me in that in-between?" Primrose asked pointing back to the doorway. Mr. Broody nodded.

"But you're here to help?" Primrose asked.

"Yes, but you have be to careful. Stay where I can see you just in case today and out of the in-betweens." Mr. Broody winked as he straightened back up. Primrose nodded and shrugged and skipped towards her friend. Kyle frowned. He sensed that the little girl wasn't taking the threat seriously though he understood why she wouldn't. He took a deep breath ignoring the pangs of pain that he felt coming from Patience as best he could, so he could focus on teaching.

"Dad?" Phoebe's voice was tense. Her shoulders were hunched up as she spoke into her cell phone.

"How is Patience?" Victor's voice came through loudly. Phoebe rolled her eyes; her father was never going to learn how to use his newest blue tooth without shouting.

Phoebe let her eyes wander back over her shoulder into the dark hospital room. Patience had her legs curled up into her chest sitting on a chair next to Dervin's bed. She had nestled her head on top of her right arm next to Dervin's chest with her left arm stretched over his torso and hiding her face. She hadn't moved from that position all night. Coop had tried at first to convince her to leave the vigil bedside but after an hour of refusals, the older cupid knew it was not worth the energy of the fight. He knew his young daughter was battling with a bleeding heart of sorts and wouldn't move. Instead Coop talk to the doctors trying to assess how much damage had been done to the boy. Also the cupid spent some time on the phone with various family members and spent time calming Dervin's foster parents. Phoebe had traded out with Coop sometime in the early dawn because her husband had needed to get some work done in Europe.

"She's not doing so well." Phoebe managed to say after studying the twitching sleep her daughter was in. "Maybe I was wrong, maybe this kid wasn't that bad…"

Cole shook his head sadly at Phoebe. Cole Turner hadn't left Patience's side all night. He had murmured stories and words of encouragement to the girl through the darkest hours of her night. It had been the first time that Cole had spent any time in the same room with Coop. It was an eerily shared moment between present and past love of the Phoebe Halliwell. Both men, though one unknown to the other, were doing everything in their power to protect young Patience from all the hurt she was feeling. Sometime during the night both men had realized that their initial thoughts on Dervin were biased and vastly incorrect. Only the noblest types of mortals didn't run away when they came face to face with their first demon. Cole knew even better than Coop that every step of the way Dervin had been nothing but supportive and helpful to not only Patience but Chris as well.

Chris was pulling a book off the shelf in the library. He rolled his eyes the George Washington High School library was not nearly as well stocked as Magic School. A book jumped off the shelves and fell open near his feet. Chris frowned and bent down to pick it up but as he got closer he noticed that the page was completely blank expect for some scrawled writing.

_There is something weird about all this man. _

Chris stared up and down the aisle that he was in before snapping his fingers and making a magical quill appear. He quickly scrawled a response back in the book.

_Wyatt or Henry? _

He lifted the book still open to the same page as he stood back up.

_Henry. But really, there is something bothering me about last night. You said that Penelope broke up with that Julian fellow too. Don't you think it's odd that the two demon boyfriends broke up with the girls at the same time and instead of everything being fine, everything went to hell? _

Chris read the words as fast as his cousin wrote them. Pressing the feather up to his chin he thought about the idea.

_I have to see what Patience saw before she got attacked. _Chris scribbled quickly and then shut the book. Taking a deep breath Chris weighed his options. His mother was sitting across the street from the high school watching for his every movement. Piper had driven the boys to school and insisted on staying on watch all day in case of attacks. Scanning his surroundings one more time before orbbing out. The surly young man appeared in the corner near the window but out of sight of Dervin's hospital room.

"How is she?" He whispered, standing with his arms crossed.

"She hasn't moved much." Cole responded not surprised to see Chris.

"Patience?" Chris moved towards the bed his voice low and worried.

"Gewy." Was the mumbled response for the girl.

"I'm not going to go away." Chris responded firmly. Cole laughed impressed with how well the two young people knew each other.

"Who is aunt Phoebe speaking to?" Chris asked looked towards the door at his aunt's back.

"Your grandfather. That man never liked me much." Cole sighed starring at Phoebe.

"Well you know, source of all evil. Seducing his youngest daughter. Points against you." Chris shrugged at the man as he bent down to start whispering to Patience. Cole moved towards Phoebe lovingly as she used her index finger to twirl the wisps of her hair on the back of her neck.

"Dad there's was trouble, but it seems they might have given up. Don't worry Paige is at the middle school and Piper at the high school. Prue is at Magic School doing some research on the demons we think are responsible." Phoebe was sighing into the phone.

"I was in the underworld trying to figure out who is after you kids yesterday," Cole started explaining.

"Any luck?" Chris looked up from his bent down position.

"Not much, but there is a great deal of power. Its definitely just a front with these Akron demons of yours." Cole responded turning on his heel to face the hospital bed again.

"Any idea why they would stage those break ups last night?" Chris asked, he had yet to see the meaning behind the actions.

"It was a delicate set up of plans," Cole nodded rubbing his hands together as he thought. Chris' green eyes suddenly flashed black unnaturally and his body snapped up as a reflex.

"There's something wrong." Chris whispered losing color from his face. Patience had bolted up as well her hands clutching Dervin's chest protectively. A larger orb fell into the room and Wyatt materialized next to his younger brother.

"Are you all right?" Wyatt demanded his protective shield already up before the question was even answered. Phoebe had turned around and dropped her cell phone instinctively putting up her fists and looking for danger. But there was no one in the hospital room but family and nothing unusual about the nurses and doctors in the hall. The emotional charmed one pulled shut the door and waved down Wyatt's shield.

"What is going on?" She demanded.

"Something is wrong." Wyatt persisted his shoulders hunching over Chris protecting his younger brother as much as he could without his shield and from an unseen enemy.

"It is." Chris agreed pushing his right hand into his gut. "I can feel it." The color was still drained from his cheeks and he shivered suddenly.

"What is it?" Phoebe demanded her voice panicked.

"It's like our powers blacked out, they are flickering like they are far away. But what is it? Aunt Paige is watching the girls, and Mom is still at the high school keeping an eye on Henry…" Wyatt rambled.

"I'm sure she thinks the two of you are in class." Cole commented.

"Primrose." Patience's eyes flickered a dangerous eggplant purple that no one had ever seen before. Before Phoebe clapped her hands over her mouth horrified, her eyes glazed over.

"She's having a vision." Cole commented but Wyatt and Chris had already disappeared in a swarm of golden lights. The Halliwell brothers knew in their gut that they were too late but they had to try. Cole took in a deep breath and materialized his arms to catch Phoebe as she tumbled backwards. He concentrated enough to lift her into a chair before his arms dissolved through her.

Primrose had been walking with her class to the music room when she had caught sight of Penelope down the hallway. Without thinking about it the little girl had scampered towards her sister, confused as to why the older girl had appeared at her school. Mr. Broody had been leading the group and his back had been turned to the little girl when she had disappeared. She ran to the end of the hallway and turned expecting to find Penelope. Prim looked down the hallway and Penelope was standing at the very end.

"What are you doing here?" Prim called to her older sister as she took a step towards her. As she took the first few steps the hallway magically stretched but the little girl didn't notice at first. After a few more steps she started to frown, the more she walked the further away Penelope seemed to get.

"Why are you at my school? And what is happening?" Primrose's voice was dripping with childish irritation.

"I'm here to see you." Penelope's voice was wispy and distant. At that moment she lifted her arms and hundreds of doorways appeared in the hallway, leaving Primrose planted in the middle of them. She had nowhere to go but through several in-betweens. She screamed as grubby hands pulled and tore at her from every direction.

"Penelope!" Primrose cried to the girl that only looked like her sister at one end of the hallway. An evil giggle echoed mercilessly around her and the little girl clutched her knees and fell into a fetal position onto the ground.

"Somebody help me." She cried trying to squirm the trolls away.

Patricia and Pandora stepped out of their classrooms at the exact same moment, turning on their heels in perfect time with each other to sandwich in a passing Melinda.

"Hey cuz," Dora laughed throwing her arm around Melinda's shoulder.

"How was your last class?" Tricia smiled wrapping her arm around Melinda's waist.

"Is it true that you two tried to kill each other last night? And have either of you seen Pen, I wanted to make sure she was ok?" Melinda asked.

"Oh Penelope is doing just great." Tricia smiled. The two girls pretending to be the Mitchell twins steered Melinda towards one of the middle school exits. Pushing open the doors leading to the outside basketball court Melinda stopped walking.

"Where are we going?"

"They brought you out here cause I asked them too." Javin came out from behind the handball wall.

"No we didn't." Dora snapped.

"Navya." Javin growled under his breath before giving Melinda a charming smile and holding out his hand.

"Come darling, I have a surprise." Javin pulled Melinda towards his body and with his kiss, steadied her into a sleep state.

"What do you two think you are doing?" Javin demanded of the girls.

"Do as you're told!" Olivia warned angrily.

"Do your own parts and leave me mine." He glared at her.

"Javin, you won't let us down?" Navya asked clicking her tongue.

"Shut up Navya, go on with both of you. Before Paige discovers they are all gone. We have five minutes before we have delivered all our targets." Javin commanded. The two girls nodded and shimmered out without another word.

"Maybe we can have one more moment, before I ruin this forever." Javin sighed hugging Melinda to him as the couple disappeared in black smoke.

Kyle Broody panicked when he counted his students walking into the music room. He gave a curt nod to the music teacher and ran out into the hallway. Closing his eyes he tried to sense his young charge and then he heard the laughter. He took off down the hall turning the corner in time to see Primrose crumple to the ground in the middle of endless corridors of in-betweens. Broody stood at one end of the hallway catching his breath and surveying the situation when Wyatt and Chris appeared at the other end of the hallway. Meanwhile Grace still posing as Penelope appeared over Primrose and kicked at the trolls disgustedly.

Without thought Wyatt plowed through the doorways only to be attacked with every step. Chris held back doing some quick thinking before pushing his hands sending a powerful wave of magic to send the doorways tumbling down like dominos. Broody didn't watch for long before trying to orb to his young charge. Wyatt sent up his force field as he sprinted towards Penelope and Primrose, climbing over the falling doorways. But before either white lighter or twice blessed could reach the girls they flamed out. When the two girls disappeared the doorways dissolved as quickly as they were conjured. Wyatt crashed into Broody as the white lighter reappeared where Primrose had been a second ago and the teenager finally reached his destination.

Before Wyatt could ask Kyle any questions the white lighter orbed out. Paige and Phoebe appeared seconds later, much too late.

"What happened?" Paige asked staring directly at the tears in Wyatt's clothing.

"Where is Primrose?" Phoebe demanded.

"We don't know. She was here, there was a white lighter." Wyatt stared down at where Primrose had been. He was trying to sense where she had gone. "And Penelope was with her, but…"

"Paige is anyone with the girls?" Chris suddenly demanded cutting off Wyatt's thoughts. Paige stared at her nephew strangely and shook her head.

"Phoebe said that Prim was in trouble and the girls,"

"Patricia, was Patricia still there?" Chris asked his mind already making sense of a situation that his family had yet to understand.

"I hadn't seen her since her last class, I was watching Dora." Paige said slowly. Phoebe meanwhile was crouched down to where Wyatt was staring also trying to sense her youngest daughter.

"Wyatt, the girls." Chris only needed to utter the words and Wyatt disappeared without a word. "The break ups were distractions. Penelope disappeared in flames with Primrose, but the thing is that I don't think it was Penelope." Chris tried to explain urgently his mind trying to piece together the next part of the attack.

"Penelope wasn't Penelope?" Phoebe tried to follow.

"Aunt Phoebe, I think Penelope and Primrose are in the underworld." Chris put both his hands on his aunt's shoulders.

"How the hell did demons get close enough to take them exactly?" Paige demanded.

"The boys," Chris shrugged tapping his foot impatiently still thinking more to himself than explaining.

"We've been through this…" Paige started. But then the bell ringing started in her ear, a frown broke on her face and she disappeared without another word.

"We have to check on Patience, what if they want all three of my girls?" Phoebe clutched Chris' jacket and the two of them orbed back to the hospital.

The empty air rippled and four feet suddenly appeared sinking into the moisten sand as a small wave retreated back into the ocean. The cold water sparked the life back into Melinda's eyes and as they fluttered open. Javin had his arm wrapped around her waist and he flashed his perfectly lovingly smile.

"Where are we?" Melinda gasped looking down at the clear blue water and around at the walls of the cove.

"A place of magic, can't you feel it?" Javin winked at her as he pulled her forward towards the cavern. Melinda inhaled and closed her eyes as she let herself be guided by the power beckoning her forward.

"The smell of the ocean is odd here," Melinda sighed. Suddenly images flashed before her eyes. Dancing images of Spanish explorers, Chinese expeditions, and so many others through the ages searching desperately for the fountain. Javin stopped at the couches taking hold of both of Melinda's hands and resting his head upon her forehead.

"Open your eyes." He whispered.

"The fountain of youth?" She sighed opening her eyes again.

"You feel it then?" Javin laughed braiding his fingers into hers and lifting her hand to his lips.

"A demon, you're a demon. But how?" Melinda suddenly tried to take a step back. It was a moment where the reality that the demons had given her was shattered and she suddenly understood who Javin really was. Starring at her surroundings noticing the shine of the white marble floors, and dancing flames of the tiki torches. Javin didn't respond to her though as he held tightly to her hand and his black eyes just stared at her pleading.

"Dance with me? Like we did on your 11th birthday, when you wanted to learn how to waltz?" Javin begged.

"But that didn't…" Melinda started but he with the wave of his hand the old song blasted in surround sound around them. A smile crept on her face as she let him guide her closer again and they took the slow steps with each other.

"The memories were magically induced, but I wish they weren't." Javin sighed into her ear.

"So everything I know about you, everything I remember about you? It didn't happen?" Melinda sighed knowing the words were true as soon as she spoke them.

"Mels, I've been young for over a thousand years and I've never missed anything. Honestly I rarely remember things that happen, the sincerity of youth stays with me always making memories evaporate as they happen. But suddenly I remember a youth that didn't happen, with you and with Chris and Wyatt. And I'm just sorry it didn't all really happen, so I just wanted this one moment. This memory to be real before everything goes to hell." Javin twirled her around and dipped her in his arms.

"Because you're going to take me to the underworld?" Melinda nodded.

"We could run away, I could grow old with you?" Javin suggested, only half-heartedly knowing that the young Halliwell would never leave her family. She shook her head.

"Yes, I didn't think so. I do like being seventeen." Javin winked at her standing her back up.

A thunder rolled through the cove and Javin shivered. He leaned again and kissed Melinda, smoke billowing from his mouth.

"I'll protect you as much as I can," He sighed before she slumped in his arms.

"Javin, now!" Mr. Tolliver's voice was thunderous around the young demon. He rolled his black eyes and magically holding Melinda up he sauntered over to his hammock. He leaned over and pulled out a small box that he slipped into his pocket, snapping his fingers as the walls shook again. Melinda Halliwell and Javin dissolved out of the forbidden cave of the Academy.

Patience was clutching the sides of the hospital bed that Dervin was still asleep on. Refusing with all her might to let go or be moved from her spot.

"Patience, go with them. I will watch him, if anything happens I will come to you," Cole commanded from near the bedside.

"Patience Calliope Halliwell, this is not a question any longer. Your sisters have been taken, we are going to magic school." Phoebe stomped her foot making her maternal demand. But Patience didn't budge. Chris licked his lips impatiently and walked over to his cousin.

"You are putting him in danger, and yourself. This isn't an option anymore." Chris wrapped his arms around her prying her from her place. Phoebe placed her hand on Chris shoulder and the three disappeared to magic school.

Grace pranced around the dark cavern of the underworld makeshift throne room. She held a stick that she was using as a crude pencil to draw a triquetra in the dirt in front of the gleaming thrones. She drew the symbol with the two outstretching points lining up with the thrones, and the lone point stretching out towards the rest of the underworld. She danced around in the darkness until she sealed the last point of the triquetra and then suddenly a burst of flames along the drawing brightened the room.

Adam, Julian, Javin and Navya appeared at the back of the throne room each with their charmed child in tow.

"Pretend." Javin whispered to Melinda urgently hoping she would understand her role in this predicament. A group of figures appeared on the steps of the elevated thrones, the shrouded man and oracle among them.

Julian and Navya walked forward pushing Patricia and Pandora. The Mitchell twins were still slumped over in a magically induced sleep and were now dressed in robes of dark blood red. The two Ankron demons pushed them forward until the twins were on the two opposite points of the triquetra and stood behind them quietly. Penelope was awake and her eyes were burning a red that matched the twins' robes. She herself was dressed in a black robe and Adam guided her softly to stand on the outer most point. Javin moved last, Melinda was in a dazed state of conscience seemingly asleep but awake enough to hear the whispered directions of the young demon. He moved her around the symbol until she reached the connection point in the middle of the three points. Standing her directly in the center of her cousins, there was a sudden blast of power that blew through the room.

"You can almost taste the power they hold." Mr. Tolliver shivered with the vibration in the room.

"Wake young ones." The shrouded figure commanded and the demons of the Academy snapped their fingers and the girls all woke from the slumber.

"They want to show us something, oh." Oralia's mouth dropped open in amazement. Tricia and Dora turned to face each other and lifted their arms above their heads, instantly fire and ice combined to form a screen of steam above Melinda. Penelope held out her palms, sending her visions of the future to be projected on the screen. The demons watched the show as images flickered of Leo Wyatt's headmaster office on the rising steam. Seconds passed as all the characters came into view, Piper standing resolutely near Leo at the main desk. Phoebe was holding on to Patience on one of the nearby couches. Paige was clutching her oldest son with both her arms to ensure that he didn't also disappear from under her grasp. While Wyatt and Chris stood definitely in the middle of the room the only thing seemingly keeping them from bolting the room was Prue standing carefully in-between the two boys holding their hands.

"They are preparing a plan of attack, or rescue as they think it." Melinda spoke the words explaining the situation playing out above her head. She surprised herself when she spoke. The power of the charmed children was coursing through her moving her to act on their behalf. Aside from that Javin had induced her with enough evil so she might be connected to the other three when she needed to be.

"And though Piper forbids it, our future king will not be able to resist the beckoning call." Oralia shrieked with happiness. The vision changed to the same throne room but it looked different than it did at the moment. Wyatt stood near the main throne, and a crumpled figure lay in Melinda's place and other taller and older figures had taken the twins and Penelope's place.

"The night shall bring new choices to be made and new faces to our stead." Melinda chanted as the vision of the steam again changed.

Broody orbed into the back of the throne room, almost unnoticed. At the bright lights, Javin took a step back and kicked the white lighter sending the man tumbling into a side corridor. Javin placed his hand behind his back and twirled his fingers in the dark writing out letters.

Kyle Broody stood in the corridor rubbing his jut where Javin had kicked him. In the air in front of him, the young demon started to give direction.

_Follow the white rabbit to the youngest. She will need your help more than the others. _

And as the word others disappeared a white rabbit appeared at his feet and started hoping away down the incline of the cave and into the darkness.


	13. It's All in the Choices

Sorry! It took longer than expected! I actually finished it but thought I wanted to go further and then decided against. I am really going to push for the next chapter to be finished quickly, but as I said lots of action with lots of characters… But two more chapters and the story ends! So enjoy! And Happy New Year!

**It's All in the Choices **

Piper was leaning against her husband's desk with her arms crossed. Phoebe stood on her right and Paige to her left, both slightly turned into their oldest sister. Chris stood with his feet planted and slightly apart, his stance matching his mother in stubbornness with arms crossed.

"Christopher for once in your life just do what you're told." Piper begged her son annoyed.

"Seriously, you're wasting time on this! On protecting us! When Melinda, Patricia, Pandora, Penelope and Primrose have been taken by demons, you're still worried about protecting us?" Chris scoffed at his mother.

"Christopher, do not speak to your mother like that." Leo said in a soft but stern voice from behind the sisters.

"Christopher Perry Halliwell, go sit down. Now." Piper enunciated each word as she spoke glaring at her teenage son.

"Mom," Chris started.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt shouted at his younger brother from his place on the couch.

"Wyatt!" Chris whined to his older brother.

"Christopher," Piper growled at him again.

"Mom, come on…" Chris started again.

"Christopher, come here." Wyatt demanded waving his hand at the younger Halliwell.

"Wyatt!" Chris cried out. Magic pushed the surly youth towards the couch making him trip over his stubbornly placed feet. Prue caught Chris before he fell face forward onto the marble ground. Chris tried orbbing out of the office when Piper's hands flew up instinctively blowing up her middle child. The orb lights shattering into several hundred pieces, before the youth reformed near Wyatt.

"You just blew me up!" Chris accused his mother.

"Sit down and shut up before she does it again," Wyatt kicked at Chris legs shins.

"Listen to your brother and don't even think about trying to orb out again." Piper's voice was dangerously angry. Prue stood in the center of the room starring at the teenagers and her sisters weary of what direction to walk in.

"Prue?" Phoebe questioned her oldest sister before turning her back to the teenagers and starting to whisper with Paige.

Chris threw his body at one of the plush chairs and blew his hair out of his face. His green eyes pierced into Wyatt before he opened his mouth.

"Does united front mean anything to you at all?" Chris demanded in a harsh whisper.

"Only when we agree on it." Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Really you weren't helping any. Why you insist upon acting like a spoiled child is beyond me. Besides, I didn't want to be here but how did I get here," Patience shut her eyes pretending to think for a moment. "Oh that's right a certain know-it-all Halliwell brother thought I was endangering myself. Over-protective fool."

"Patience." Wyatt's voice was tense.

"Our bickering like the children our mothers think we are, is all useful but guys our sisters are more than likely in the underworld induced with evil. Anyone else think we should maybe get a move on going down there." HJ was rubbing his temples with his eyes closed as he spoke, trying to sense his sisters.

"He's right." Wyatt nodded.

"We're not going to be allowed to go anywhere," Chris motioned his chin towards the charmed ones that were huddled with Leo whispering to each other. Patience pulled herself up and Wyatt turned his head around and the three teens watched the quieted discussion.

Leo had walked around his desk to join the huddled sisters. Piper was laying out the plan in hushed tones.

"We'll go down there, kick some demon ass and get the girls back. They will stay here." Piper shifted her eyes over to indict the teenagers on the couches.

"Have you met them? They don't stay well." Phoebe shook her head.

"I have a feeling that whoever we're dealing with wants all our children. We're not going to let them walk into the lions' den. I will tie them to the pillars of the endless hallway if I must." Piper threatened.

"Paige, Paige, answer the phone, Paige!" Henry's clear voice rang from Paige's jean pocket.

"That's your ring tone for your husband?" Prue gave Paige a critical older sister look as Paige smiled and shrugged answering the phone.

"So your plan is to just show up in the underworld and hope we can find the girls?" Phoebe demanded of Piper.

"Maternal instinct tells me we can find them." Piper smiled at her sister knowingly.

"You don't think that we can get the kids to help us find them, that whole sibling bond thing?" Prue asked.

"Maternal bond trumps sibling." Piper shook her head stubbornly. As Paige clicked her phone shut and let out a loud sigh, two ghostly glows appeared in the middle of the room.

"No!" Piper pointed at the lights before they even materialized into her mother and grandmother.

"Oh this is ridiculous." Paige groaned. "Henry is going to be checking for reports on runaway youth or kidnappers in the area just in case this isn't magical."

"We're going to the underworld. Prue and Leo deal with the extra family members. Tie them to the nearest pillars," Piper waved her thumb over to the teenagers. She started walking towards the double door.

"Piper?" Patty and Prue's voice melded into one.

"Mom!" Wyatt and Chris called after her.

But the eldest Charmed one didn't respond as she kept walking towards the doors.

"Paige and Phoebe are you coming?" She turned back around at this point, glaring at everyone in the room.

"Young lady you wait one minute!" Grams wagged a finger at Piper that was blatantly ignored. Prue laughed at the declaration, Piper being older than everyone in the room except maybe for ghost grams and Leo.

"One hair out of place on their heads and I have problems with everyone in this room." Piper pointed angrily at everyone before taking hold of Paige's arms. The three charmed sisters orbed out of the office.

In an alcove of stone, a large iron birdcage sat. It was perfectly crafted with fancy designs, a sweet little swing and a tightly sealed door. Candles burned as brightly as they could in their damp dark places around the base of the cage. The light barely reaching the swinging feet of the seven year old charmed child. Primrose was not afraid of the dark, but the ominous nature of the cage she was imprisoned in had her shaking in fear.

"Mommy? Aunt Paige? Daddy? Wyatt? Chris? Henry? Patience? Penelope…" At her sister's name, Penelope flamed into the cage.

"Littlest sister, how are you doing?" Penelope gave the little girl a wicked smile. Prim frowned as her knuckles turned white from her tightening grip on the swing ropes.

"Penelope, you're different?' Primrose's eyebrows knitted together as her frown grew heavier. Penelope rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers bringing the little girl down from her perch.

"How did you do that and what are you wearing?" Primrose crossed her arms protectively over her chest. Julian was stumbling along the outside of the cage, running his fingers over the bars playfully.

"Maybe you should change the color your wearing?' Julian suggested quietly. Penelope's dark blood red robe evaporated revealing a pale pink top and a pair of dark jeans. Penelope bent down to be at eye level with her youngest sister.

"Do you want to help me bring Patience?' Penelope's voice lightened and her eyes turned a vivid pink.

"Will she be able to take us home?" Primrose demanded.

"She'll be able to help us, yes." Penelope smiled, pleased with her own manipulation of words to support her cause. Julian leaned against the wall, yawning already bored of the night ahead.

Penelope put out her hand warmly open towards the younger girl. Primrose laid her hand on top of Penelope's, but at the touch the younger girl shivered and pulled her hand out.

"Try to relax Pen," Julian commented from his spot against the wall. Penelope rolled her eyes at him. With decisive force she snapped her fingers shut around Primrose's hand and produced a needle in her other hand.

"Come darling you want our big sister to join us don't you? I'm just going to prick our fingers a little bit." Penelope stabbed the little needle into one of Primrose's fingers that she was holding. The little girl squirmed and tried to pull away but her efforts were lost upon her demonic sister.

"Ow! Pen you're hurting me!" Primrose cried out.

"It might be easier if I put her to sleep again?" Julian suggested.

"She can't say the spell with me if she's asleep." Penelope snapped.

"Are we sure that it will even work, without her active powers she is almost useless." Julian rolled his eyes. Primrose glared at the boy, her lower lip sticking out in a sad pout.

"We were told to try." Penelope pushed her pierced index finger against the younger girl's bleeding thumb.

"This is boring, can't we do something else?" Julian whined for a second. A thunder shook the little cave at the suggestion and he threw his arms up. "All right, all right we'll try this then."

"Now I need you to repeat after me Primrose," Penelope smiled sweetly. Primrose pouted but nodded.

"Power of the witches rise," Penelope started. Primrose chanted the words like a mimicking parrot.

There weren't many spells that Penelope had ever learned by heart. The charmed ones had long before decided that they wouldn't start teaching their children the craft until they were at least old enough to drive. The girls, with the help of magic school, had taught the children their magical history and heritage but not many practical lessons. Though Leo, Coop and even Henry pushed to let the kids exercise their active powers to ensure each child had the ability to control their magic. During the winter break though Penelope along with her sisters and cousins had spent their time at Magic School. There she had come across the spell that apparently her family had created to call a lost witch. In her zest to practice her craft, Penelope had worked on memorizing the spell knowing it would possibly be useful one day. Never would she have guess then that she would be using it to kidnap her own sister.

After the third time of chanting the spell back, Primrose was able to recite alone.

"Ok, let's try it together then?" Penelope prompted. Primrose nodded smiling.

"Power of the witches rise course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here. Blood to blood, I summon thee. Blood to blood return to me." The words echoed off the walls but nothing stirred.

"Don't think it worked." Julian yawned. Penelope snapped up and glared at him. He winked at her and beckoned her with one finger. Leaving her youngest sister behind, Penelope sauntered over to him flaming through the bars and jumping into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and starting kissing him. Primrose ran up to the bars of the cage and tried to walk through them as Penelope had done. Colliding with the steel bars she fell back. The walls of the alcove shook with a thunderous roar again and Julian pushed Penelope back a bit.

"Maybe it didn't work because she doesn't have enough magic in her yet, without active powers…"

"You are a mean jerk face boy!" Primrose shouted at him from her spot on the ground.

"You did wanted to do something fun…" Penelope pressed her nose to Julian's cheek. As she inhaled dark steam rolled off his face and she was filled with a new wave of evil. Her lips curled into an evil grin as she whispered into his ear. Julian laughed flicking his finger at the cage and flaming out with Penelope as the steel door of Prim's prison opened.

"Dad," Wyatt's voice was steady and void of the anger and resentment that Chris was channeling clearly with his steely glare.

"Dad! You can't possibly think this is a good idea!" Chris exploded.

"Chris, let me handle this." Wyatt hissed.

"Can I go back to the hospital Uncle Leo?" Patience begged.

"I can't sense my sisters, why can't I sense them?" Young Henry panicked.

"Get Piper and the girls back here Leo, I don't think that this is the right way to go about this." Penny demanded of Leo. The demands and shouting kept up for another few minutes before Prue shook with annoyance. The books of the shelves around the room came tumbling out of their spots and slammed onto the floor.

"Enough." Prue snapped.

"Darling, you should try to control your temper." Patty came over and patted Prue's shoulder lightly. Prue gave her mother a weary look before turning her attention to everyone else in the room.

"Look we just need a plan, we're going to help find your siblings but we're going to do it with a plan. None of you are going anywhere without one of us." Prue said forcefully making sure her point was understood.

"I think I can track Javin. I might know where the lair of the Academy might be." Chris started.

"And I think I can find Anka and get her to tell me more." Wyatt nodded.

"I don't think that either of those is a good idea." Leo shook his head. "Anka is the essence of youth, she can encourage you to do things. Her very presence pushes you to be impulsive. And the Academy is a serious group of demons Chris. They've been collecting powers for centuries. You can not wander into a trap so willingly."

"Piper said she didn't want you boys going anywhere." Patty pointed out.

"And we always listen to mom." Chris grumbled annoyed.

"And we all know that the demons are just tying to lure Wyatt down there anyway…" Penny sighed as she looked at her eldest grandchild.

"They are always after me, I think I can handle it." Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Penny." Leo gritted his teeth. Chris had pulled out his cell phone and was running his scrying program.

"Uncle Leo don't you think we're clearly wasting time. If the demons that have my sisters and cousins want Wyatt and have spent all this time preparing to get Wyatt, sooner or later they will achieve their goal? And don't you think that it is better that we figure out what they want and how to stop them before one of the girls does something evil? And isn't there some merit in the fact that they didn't target any of the four of us for the evil inducing plan? Clearly we are too powerful to be so easily swayed and we are more of a threat. Isn't that valuable?" HJ stated his points clearly never breaking his eye contact with his favorite uncle. Though Henry was a lanky clumsy freshman in high school, he was by far the most logical thinker among his cousins. He never had a problem with his confidence when explaining his analysis of any problem presented to him.

"Oh he should be a lawyer, such a brilliant grandson. And so handsome." Patty smiled brightly at the boy.

"I found it." Chris started to orb but Wyatt's arm shot out to hold him down.

"You can't go alone. What part of that did you not understand?" Wyatt demanded. As Chris' green eyes glared at his older brother but didn't speak before his aunt interjected.

"I will go with Chris," Prue volunteered and walked over to her nephew. Chris rolled his green eyes and swung his arm around her shoulder orbbing before anyone could object again.

"A little impatient, just like his mother." Penny shook her head.

"I'm going to go." Wyatt stated. His arms were straight against his torso with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, a stance that he often took when uncomfortable with a situation.

"I don't think you should go alone son." Leo was shaking his head. Leo knew that Anka would do anything but convince Wyatt to return to the safety of Magic School. The essence of youth would lead Wyatt down another path, down the rabbit hole to the underworld. Leo had no doubt about the fact that Henry was right, Wyatt would end up in the underworld today one way or another.

"Look Anka is not a big fan of adults." Wyatt sighed.

"Why don't I follow Wyatt, I mean I'm a ghost who died young enough?" Patty suggested. Leo gave a curt nod giving Wyatt the cue he needed to orb out of his father's office. Leo grimaced as his blue eyes traveled over the remaining family members in the room. Patty had drifted away being able to follow Wyatt without the orb as she hadn't taken a physical form.

"We need to figure out who the bigger threat still is…" Leo started.

"Especially if this is about Wyatt, maybe something to do with his birthday?" Penny agreed.

Henry took a step forward, the heavy material of his khaki pants rustling in the silence of the room. He held out his hand to Patience. Before the teenage girl could take it though a sharp pain prompted her to scream and double over in pain.

"Patience?" Henry dropped to his knees in fear. Leo and Penny moved forward in time to see the bright red flash. A glowing heart faded away in front of Henry's eyes and the young man looked up to his uncle in shook.

"She can't do that, Patience hasn't been able to master any of her cupid powers. She can't do that!" Henry jumped up and shouted.

"It appears that she can." Leo sighed.

"Melinda starts getting visions and Patience can now transport. And I can't even use my telekinesis correctly, this is fair." Henry glared at Leo demandingly.

"Melinda started getting visions?" Leo frowned. His eyes were studying where Patience had just been sitting. Not hearing the conversation around him, Leo's mind was racing to form conclusions.

"A cupid travels by love and heart beats. Something must have happened to Dervin. But more importantly you said Melinda had started seeing visions, which makes me think that you and your cousins' powers are increasing because of the looming threat. You all were being given more tools, more weapons to fight against the evil that has come after you. This makes me think that whoever is behind this attack is far more powerful and dangerous than we originally thought." Leo explained cutting off the fight between Penny and young Henry.

"But if something happened to Dervin, Cole would have come." Henry frowned.

"Cole?" Leo and Penny said puzzled.

"He's not the source of this problem, believe me we've been down that path already. I am going to go get the book of shadows from the manor." Henry suggested orbbing out of his uncle's office quicker than any objection could be spoken.

"You all clearly have control over your children." Penny sighed.

"Not now Penny. Are you going to criticize or help us save your grandchildren?" Leo demanded taking strides back to his desk.

"I am a multitasker Leo, I can easily do both." Penny challenged as she grabbed a nearby map and crystal to start scrying.

The gravel grated against the heels of the charmed ones shoes with each step they took.

"I can see this place has changed tons." Piper growled. "Why can't I just blow it up?" The eldest sister held up her hands defensively awaiting the attack she could sense coming.

"Piper, because what if you blow up the part that the girls' are in?" Paige demanded.

"I would prefer if you didn't blow up my girls just because they are evil currently. It's not like you've never been evil." Phoebe snapped. Phoebe's hands were balled up into fists and she was looking around cautiously.

"Yet the possibility of you being evil never affected your knowing if you were charmed." Paige sang sarcastically.

"Shut up." Piper snapped at her youngest sister.

"I'm just saying, just because you think that the sword might be too much power for someone like Wyatt…." Paige started.

"That's not it Paige. He just doesn't need the extra pressure with his college applications and his last year of high school. He's been under pressure his whole life for being the twice blessed and I just don't…" Piper was stated as two figures flamed in.

"Dora, Tricia are you all right?" Paige took a step forward. An army of dark demons wearing tribal masks appeared behind the twins.

"Pandora?" Phoebe called wearily.

"Patricia?" Piper tried to beckon the calmer twin to her.

Pandora and Patricia both let a slow smile creep onto their faces as they raised their arms towards their mother and aunts.

"Look at what we can do Mommy," The girls said in unison before the stream of fire and ice went flying towards the charmed ones.

"Girls!" Paige shouted at her daughters. Piper and Phoebe ducked but Paige stood her ground until the last possible moment. As Piper froze the fire and ice as Paige orbed out of the way.

"Paige! You're daughters are trying to kill us!" Piper shouted as she started blasting the demons behind the twins that were now firing fireballs.

"They are just as much your nieces as my daughters! Fireball!" Paige diverted a fireball coming towards her.

Pandora and Patricia let the demons take over the fighting as they turned towards each other. Clasping their hands together the girls started creating a heavy magical steam that clouded over the entire area. Piper froze the demons and her nieces too late to stop the overpowering mist that had settled around them.

"Paige?" Phoebe called out.

"Piper?" Paige waved her arms around her trying to find her sisters.

"Oh this is ridiculous!" Piper shouted aggravated. The sisters crawled around in the mist for a few minutes before finding each other.

"Mommy! Mommy! Help me!" Cried a little voice from somewhere in the mist.

"Primrose!" Phoebe clutched Paige. "Orb me to her, orb us. Something is after her and she doesn't have any powers!"

"I don't know if I can find her in this mist. But we can try." Paige whispered holding her sisters' hands as they orbed.

A heartbeat sounded before a brilliant red heart appeared over the hospital bed that Dervin was lying in.

"Patience," Dervin was whispering her name as he fidgeted in his sleep.

"Patience what are you doing here?" Cole asked her from his spot next to the window.

"Something, I felt something." Patience frowned looking at her sleeping boyfriend.

"You felt something, have you ever traveled that way before?" Cole asked her curiously though he well knew the answer. Patience shook her head and sat down in her empty chair, slipping her hand into Dervin's hand.

"There was a tug and suddenly I just transported." Patience shrugged.

"A magical tug that lead you here?" Cole said curiously. He started pacing as he was thinking, the tails of his suit coat waving behind him with his movement and the wind of the room.

"Nothing is wrong with him though? No one has attacked?" Patience stared at the monitors next to the bed.

"Not as far as I could tell…" Cole responded distractedly. Patience crinkled her nose, feeling the magical tug in the pit of her stomach again.

"I'm going to check with the nurses, I can feel something." Patience commented to the distract spirit before walking out into the hallway.

Two men puffed into the room with dark clouds and placed their massive hands over each of Dervin's shoulders. Cole snapped his attention up and shouted for Patience. But before she ran back into the room the demons had taken Dervin from the room. Patience ran back in flustered with a nurse following closely at her heels.

"Patience! The nurse can't notice he's gone." Cole warned. Patience spun around and waved her hand in the nurse's face freezing the woman instantly.

"Where is he?" Patience demanded spinning back around to face Cole. Her ponytail whipping into the nurse's frozen face.

"Demons took him and Patience they were wearing ancient masks that I recognized." Cole explained rapidly that the masks the demons had been wearing were used in demonic ceremonies to prepare for a new source, a chosen source.

"Why did they want Dervin?" Patience demanded frantic.

"I don't know. But they were going to the underworld. Isn't that where you're sisters are?" Cole asked.

"Blood to Blood, I summon thee!" The chant whispered around Patience suddenly.

"They were trying to summon me, that's the tug I was feeling. And now demons have Dervin and I don't know what to do." Patience choked as she fell to her knees.

"Patience the nurse," Cole warned as the teenager flicked her wrist again freezing the nurse. Patience was rocking back and forth, with her arms wrapped around her torso. Cole sighed running his hand over his face glancing down at the panicking girl on the ground.

"Teenage girls are not my specialty." Cole grumbled as he knelt down. Cole blew air at Patience's face that wisped the strands of hair out of her face.

"Patience this isn't helping. You're sisters are trying to call for you they are probably in trouble. That boyfriend of yours has been taken by demons you can't just sit here freaking out. You're charmed for god's sake you need to pull yourself together, there might be a new source coming." Cole obviously had little experience in pep talking. Patience gulped back the tears that were threatening at the edges of her eyes.

"Wyatt! Chris!" Patience called out. No one appeared though and Cole sighed loudly.

"I can't go without them, they are the powerful witches. I don't know how to do anything." Patience shook her head still clutching her torso.

"You know how to say spells? Cast a spell to follow the demons that just took your boy. Think about what they could be doing to him, they might be hurting him. You want to get to him before they kill him or your sisters." Cole taunted her. The light in her eyes sparked red as she jumped to her feet almost levitating all the way to the bed.

"I call upon my charmed power to take me where my heart desires. To follow darkness that took my light, beyond my grasp no longer last." Patience took a deep breath as her body was engulfed in one flash of light.

The afternoon sun streamed into the marble room like a warm glowing fire. Wyatt appeared near the windows and scanned the room to find Anka sitting on a conjured swing.

"You're so much more fun then the others because you come to me." Anka smiled. She pumped her legs once sending the swing high into the air where she jumped off and into Wyatt's open arms.

"Anka I know what you are." Wyatt tried to put her down but the young woman wrapped her arms strongly around his neck.

"Yes, we figured you boys would figure out sooner or later." She smiled as she started to kiss Wyatt's neck. Tilting his head in a false attempt to get her to stop, Wyatt was fighting the urge to kiss her back.

"Just one little," Anka whispered letting her lips find his. The two stood kissing when Patty materialized in the room. She stared around the room allowing the young people a few moments to themselves before she spoke.

"Wyatt?" Patty finally interrupted. Her voice startled him to drop Anka. The tall blond looked abashed, his cheeks matching the color of his red shirt.

"Right, Grandma." He nodded.

Anka shifted her weight indignantly at being dropped on the ground. Her green eyes twisted to glower at whoever had prompted her fall from grace. But when Anka saw Patty, she just blinked in confusion. Wyatt held out his hand for Anka to take to help her up. The dark beauty allowed herself to be helped up but her stayed focused on Patty.

"You are a ghost." Anka stated.

"I am and you're the creature distracting my grandson." Patty nodded.

"But you were so young when you died." Anka moved towards Patty. She held out her hand trying to touch the woman.

"I did." Patty frowned.

"Anka…" Wyatt tried to get her attention again. But the essence of youth was far too distracted walking around studying Patty.

"Being the essence of youth, she believes in immorality." Patty tried to explain.

"She is immortal." Wyatt argued.

"Wyatt have you ever read the story of Peter Pan?" Patty asked. Anka was in a trance not hearing anything that was going on around her.

"Nope. But I basically lived it, Chris and I went to Neverland one year…" Wyatt started but Patty shook her head.

"Yes, I remember now. But the point is, that Peter just like Anka and Kron can't realize certain things just once. A teenager is convinced of their immortality because that is the blessed curse of youth. Anka is immortal because she believes she is, but right now she's seeing mortality. It happens every so often, where she realizes that the young can die as much as the old." Patty explained.

"Anka." Wyatt tried to snap her out of her epiphany. But the olive skinned beauty was still trying to touch Patty, watching her hand go through the ghost every single time. Wyatt sighed and then took his arms and wrapped them around her. In one swift movement he spun her around and kissed her. He motion one of his hands behind her back to signal to Patty to disappear. As Wyatt pushed Anka away from him forcefully, she parted her dark lips and kept her eyes closed.

"You know I can't tell you much, I'm not suppose to get involved." Anka danced her fingers along the contours of Wyatt's chest.

"Not suppose to get involved?" Wyatt laughed. "What exactly have you been doing with me?"

"Much like your little brother, sometimes I'm not so good with rules." Anka giggled.

"You have to tell me who is behind all this?" Wyatt demanded, his voice forceful. Anka smiled showing off her dimples and her green eyes shimmer with a sense of accomplishment.

"As if I concern myself with such trivialities as who wants what done by who…" Anka giggled. She flipped back her hair and snapped her fingers conjuring a painting.

"What is that?" Wyatt asked starring at the painting of a group of young people drinking and dancing.

"Those are the demons of the Academy. You, of course, know that they are a group of Ankron demons but do you know that they are actually my children?" Anka asked smiling at the picture in a maternal way.

"What?" Wyatt gasped.

"Yes. I don't often remember because you see they aren't born like your type of children. No Akron demons are born from large gatherings of youth or impulsive movements that are affected by Kron and myself. Much like fairies are born from a baby's first laugh. They just come into existence, as toddlers that are often left to their own devices because I'm far to young to mother anyone." Anka tried to explain.

"Why are you telling me this?" Wyatt wondered.

"So that you understand that we follow them, the children of our escapades, as much as they follow us. Which is how we came to be informed of Tolliver's plan, dear boy was corrupted by age as many have before him. Little Tolliver was young for ages but then he fell in love with an Oracle. Tricky things they are, if you are like the first Arthur you will soon learn that fact. But I divert from my purpose, Tolliver you see fell in love with an Oracle and they actually had a few children none that lived past the age of twelve. But the Oracle started seeing visions of futures for Tolliver but they all required he aged. So the craving of power led Tolliver to stop drinking from the fountain and started collecting the children. He settled on six finding them each just as they turned twelve when Ankron demons usually die and protected them. He started aging as they remained young and they jumped around collecting youthful spirit to pay tribute to us in exchange for enough elixir from the fountain to keep them young. So that is how it began long ago, you must guess that Tolliver has grown bitter and angry. He no longer wants to chase youth or live with the young. So he has struck a deal with the demons, which ones I don't know. But we helped, in ways that seemed to be of use to him when in truth they were in use to you." Anka ran her hand over Wyatt's cheek.

"But how are you being of use to me?" Wyatt stated bored of the exposition.

"Oh maybe you shall figure it out yet, but when you come up against the children do be kind they aren't a bad lot. All except poor Tolliver." Anka kissed Wyatt on the cheek now and whispered in his ear. "Good luck young king, I'm sure you'll be absolutely enthralling to watch."

With that the ancient beauty disappeared, leaving Wyatt to stare at the painted canvas of her family. Patty appeared next to Wyatt and stared at the picture.

"That's odd the writing at the bottom." Patty pointed with her ghostly finger to the bottom of the painting.

"The only thing more powerful to the young than youth is family. The beginning of their story." Wyatt read aloud.

"You can read it?" Patty stared at him amazed.

"Yes, can't you?' Wyatt asked.

"No darling, it's in an ancient language." Patty frowned at him. Wyatt stared at the writing again and noticed that it was indeed written in a different language.

"It must be a white lighter thing." Wyatt shrugged.

White orbs brought Chris and Prue orbed into the empty Academy cave, right at the entrance in the water.

"Are we actually in the right place this time?" Prue demanded jumping out of the water.

"Maybe if you weren't such a backseat orbber, we would have gotten here the first time." Chris grunted at his aunt.

"Or if a certain teen wasn't such an impulsive orbber. Maybe looked before he orbed." Prue sang sarcastically. She started walking forward and Chris jogged up to pull in front of her. Prue's hand snapped up and grabbed the back collar of his shirt though to pull him back to her.

"I told your dad and your brother that I would take care of you." Prue pointed out.

"If you told either of them it was my fault I got hurt, they would believe you." Chris grumbled. The two of them walked into the main cavern with their hands up ready for the fight but found nothing.

"This looks like the common rooms in college." Prue commented starring at the collection of books and piles of empty pizza boxes near the hammocks.

"Including the chalkboard with the plan on how to take down our family?" Chris demanded walking towards the black board still sitting among the couches. Using his powers to magically remove the couches in his way as he walked towards the board.

"Yeah cause that was a necessary use of your magic." Prue rolled her eyes as she followed him. The two Halliwells, much more similar than even they could tell, stood with arms crossed and eyes hard as stone.

"This is based on the theory that HJ had, about the power of three being reconstructed with us. But they took it further, using the namesakes that also each happen to be a child from a different charmed one." Chris whispered the idea.

"Melinda, Patricia and Penelope. The start of our magical line, the mother of the charmed ones and the grandmother that raised us." Prue commented running her fingers along the connecting lines on the crowded board.

"I am not in constant fear of being overshadowed by Wyatt!" Chris shouted triggering a nearby couch to burst open sending fluff and feathers everywhere.

"Sure you're not sweetheart." Prue stifled a laugh.

"You know what you wouldn't understand. You were the super witch too." Chris spat at her.

"Quick tempered and impulsive. They don't know you at all." Prue sighed turning as she kept reading.

"Now this is strange." Chris stated ignoring her statement as he noticed the design drawn underneath all the writing on the board. His long finger traced over the triquetra that he recognized that was nestled in the central pentagon of the pentagram.

"I've never seen that drawn that way in anything that I've studied." Chris frowned. Prue studied the drawing a second as well.

"No well you wouldn't have, I mean that's the charmed symbol. That's our symbol in the middle of pentagram." Prue trailed off in thought.

"A pentagram is evil." Chris nodded.

"Actually no it's not. Well not really, it was originally a symbol of good magic. So really it's an outer shell of good magic with the inner circle. But why would they have it drawn this way." Prue tapped at the board. Before either of them could study or speak any further dark lighters appeared in the middle of the cavern.

"Oh look it's the baby Halliwell brother without his strong protector." One of the men taunted Chris, pulling back on his bow not wasting much time on small talk. Chris was pushed down out of the way by Prue who crinkled her eyes as she waved the men against the walls.

Primrose was slammed into a wall her childish cheeks bouncing at the impact. She collapsed onto the dirt floor, curling up into a protective ball as she choked back sobs.

"Mommy! Daddy! Patience! Wyatt! Chris! Please I don't want to stay here anymore!" She cried into her knees. Two figures as dark as the shadows around them with one green markings on their bodies started circling around her body.

Suddenly light flooded above the little girl's body and she could hear the jingling of bells. Kyle scooped her up and orbed the two of them out of harms way as the ectoplasm whip snapped loudly against the wall. Reappearing just a bit further away but out of sight from the demons chasing young Primrose.

"Mr. Broody!" The little girl cried joyfully holding on to his shirt with all her might.

"Primrose are you hurt?" He asked in a hush tone trying to put the little girl down so he could examine her. But Primrose wasn't having any of it as she clutched to him fearful.

"I need to check if you are all right, I won't leave you." Broody explained as he worked to pry her fingers from his shirt.

"You are a white lighter." Primrose sobbed into his shirt.

"Yes, I can heal you and hear you when you call." Broody nodded excitedly as the little girl started to let go. He placed her down and checked over her scrapes and bruises.

"Hold still for a second." He commanded as he started to heal a cut that was trickling blood from the back of her head.

"Why are they doing this?" Primrose asked in a whisper.

"They are trying to activate your powers. Have you felt any surge in powers at all princess?" Broody asked, settling his hands over her skinned knee. He was determined to return her to the charmed ones in the exact condition in which she had been taken.

"No. I don't think so, but I don't know how powers feel." Primrose shrugged. Her eyes flashed a colorful red at that moment though.

"What do you feel right now Primrose?" Broody placed his hands over her little shoulders and stared right into her eyes.

"Penelope is angry." Primrose frowned.

"Look at that we might have succeeded after all." A grim voice laughed from behind as an arrow went flying right into Kyle's shoulder. The whitelighter screamed in sudden pain but quickly snatched the little girl in front of him and orbed away again.

Henry was dumping potion-making ingredients into a little knack sack before grabbing the book of shadows to take back to magic school. The grandfather clock on the first floor chimed loudly in the empty manor and Henry jumped in orbs.

"Look big brother is afraid of a little noise." Pandora yawned.

"When he should be afraid of us." Patricia laughed.

Henry turned around to find his twin sisters standing at the edges of the carpet in the center of the room. The twins were still cloaked in their red shrouds and their pale skin shone against the darkness they seemed to be emitting.

"Girls?" HJ questioned his sisters.

"So big brother, we need you to do us a favor." Pandora was popping her lips as she spoke.

"What might that be?" Henry asked as pushed the potions pouch behind him protectively.

"Be a gentlemen and hold the book of shadows on our trip to the underworld." Patricia winked at him.

"Our trip to where?" HJ's eyes popped wide.

"Oh don't be a schnookle bro, grab the book and let's go. I don't like how bright it is up here." Pandora whined.

"Why don't you grab the book?" He demanded even though the young white lighter was already positive that both his sisters were evil and unable to touch it.

"You know why." Patricia growled.

"I don't think I will." HJ shook his head. Adam suddenly appeared standing closely behind Patricia.

"I would do it Witch, if you don't want me to stab your precious little sister with a dark lighter arrow." Adam wrapped his arm around Patricia's chest. He held the point of a dark lighter arrow at her white throat and gave Henry a menacing glare.

"Adam doesn't kid much." Pandora nodded.

"Dora, why don't you stop him?" Henry shouted.

"I don't want to. Besides if I did then what would we do to get you to grab the book." Dora shrugged.

"I don't have much patience." Adam warned pushing the arrow further into Patricia's neck.

"All right. All right!" Henry surrendered grabbing the large book of shadows from its scared spot. The book was the size of his entire torso and his arms only partial clutched around it.

"Perfect." Pandora smoked next to her brother grabbing his elbow forcefully. Her nails dug into his shirt, coming close to cracking skin.

"Yes, perfect." Patricia winked at Adam who snapped the arrow away and bent down to kiss the girl. The four young people dissolved into the ground on their way to the underworld.

Javin held his hand over Melinda's elbow guiding her hand to draw a pentagram around the triquetra on the ground of the throne room.

"Javin what is happening?" Melinda whispered. Her head was leaning back against his cheek.

"Things beyond your control." He sighed back.

"Chris is in danger." Melinda's voice shook with fear.

"Your brother is usually in some sort of danger." Javin laughed at her.

"Yes but he and Wyatt both will be in greater danger tonight than either has ever been." Melinda shivered. Javin pulled her close to him and tried to protect from the evils that he knew would come with just his arms. As Melinda connected the last point of the pentagram a voice boomed in the throne room.

"We just need blood, young Halliwell." Mr. Tolliver appeared on the steps as suddenly as his voice.

"No." Javin growled shielding the girl from his elder.

"No?" Mr. Tolliver mocked as he stepped forward and reached out his hand for Melinda.

"She shall give me her blood, as you know she will because of how you intoxicated her." Mr. Tolliver gave a crooked smile, curling up his fingers in a prompt for Melinda.

"The others will appear in seconds, I can hear your siblings." Mr. Tolliver winked at Javin as Melinda gave a shy step forward.

"They are you're siblings too." Javin grumbled. As Melinda took Mr. Tolliver's hand, her right hand slammed into her upper thigh.

"Melinda?" Javin stepped forward.

"Chris." Melinda gasped painfully.

"Powerful bond, absolutely incredible." Came the shrouded man that appeared with the Oracle upon the thrones.

"Well let's distract the pain shall we young one?" Mr. Tolliver asked as he conjured a knife that he ran down the palm of Melinda's right hand. A trickle of blood spilled onto the line drawn in dirt and instantly a flame shot up and ran along as if it had found gunpowder. The pentagram danced in flames as the two closest tips lit up Patricia and Pandora appeared on the points. Young Henry stumbled upon the upper most point of the pentagram as instantly still clutching the Book of Shadows.

"Look we almost have all the chess pieces." The shrouded figure appeared with the Oracle near the thrones.

"Our last cupid has arrived on the scene to the place where love brought her." The Oracle smiled brightly.

Patience appeared in a brilliant red flash in a damp nook, right next to a roughed up Dervin.

"That's a cool little trick babe." Dervin laughed at her.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry about all of this! We're going to find Wyatt and he's going to heal you because he can. And I will totally understand if you never want to see me again! And wait you didn't think that was strange?" Patience stopped herself suddenly. Dervin laughed a little as he tried to sit himself up.

"One of the ugly guys that left me here said something about my little witch coming for me soon enough. You probably shouldn't have taken the bait darling." Dervin shook his head. He was paler than he had been and his red hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat.

"I couldn't possibly leave you here. Wait, you don't have a problem with me being a witch?" Patience frowned at him.

"I knew there was something different about you, magical powers is as good as anything else. I'm dating my own Sabrina Spellman." Dervin winked at her.

"Who?" Patience demanded.

"You're wasting time." Cole growled appeared in the same space.

"She was this teenage witch, there was an old 1990s TV show about her that one of my foster moms was obsessed with so I watched a lot of it." Dervin explained.

"Such a touching reunion but young Halliwell you are expected in the Throne Room." A demon shimmered in behind Patience. She jumped and snapped her hands up freezing the creature.

"How long will he stay like that?" Dervin asked.

"Not long." Came another demonic voice. Patience snapped her hands at him in time for the first demon to unfreeze.

"Ah, little witch." The first demon, a brute strength creature snatched her wrists and bent them behind her back rendering her useless.

"Don't worry child, your boyfriend will live for a little while longer which is more than we can say for your youngest sister." The Brute demon laughed as he tied the girl's hands together behind her back and then grabbed her like a bundle of clothing under one arm.

"Patience!" Dervin shouted and tried to get to his feet. But unfortunately the young man was still severely injured from his first encounter with demons. Being hit with a fireball to a mortal after all was much like getting shot at by a small canon.

"Let her go!" Dervin shouted at the brute demon holding Patience but was ignored. The second demon unfroze and looked down at the struggling teen and broke out in laughter.

"You'll see her soon enough human." The demon kicked Dervin and shimmered out of the room.

"I'm going to find Chris." Cole mentioned to Patience before disappearing.

A brute demon came into the throne room carrying a struggling Patience. The demon dumped her unceremoniously onto one of the empty points of the pentagram. Penelope appeared directly across from her in flames. Mr. Tolliver pushed Melinda onto one of the points of the triquetra without much ceremony and then stepped away towards the wall.

"You shall find yourselves, young Halliwells unable to move from your points on the pentagram or triquetra as the case may be. We have connected your charmed power together and without my commanding one of you to move, the rest of you must stay. Now let us call the king forward, we have prepared everything for Wyatt after all." The voice commanded. But before anything else was done Melinda threw her hands into the air and froze the entire room.

"Wyatt! Chris! If you can hear me don't come to the underworld! Just don't! We'll figure out a way out of this, but please don't come!" Melinda begged the ceiling of rock above her.

"You're brothers have long since learned to take care of themselves." Kron appeared near Patience.

"Who are you?" Melinda demanded from him.

"No one really, besides someone rather impressed by your use of the magical power tap." Kron pointed to five-point pentagram.

"A power tap?" Melinda repeated.

"Yes and you are in the strongest point, the center." Kron winked at her as he disappeared. The room burst into action again and Patricia, Pandora, and Penelope started chanting to call a lost witch spell.

"Blood to Blood, I summon thee!" The words bounced in echo from side to side and the power tap as Kron had called it forced the spell to be said in unison by not only the willing but the unwilling as well. Patience and Henry found themselves saying the words by no means of their own.

Wyatt Halliwell appeared in the center of the symbols, at one of the points of triquetra with his sister. His blue eyes were wild with confusion as he looked around at his cousins that had summoned him here.

"Now young future king, you have a decision ahead of you." The voice was finally uncovered, an older gentlemen with curly dark black hair and stone black eyes was smiling at Wyatt.


	14. Moment of Truth

******There is one more chapter left after this, make sure to review! I'm trying to decide what the title of the last chapter is going to be. That means it might take a few days to come up because I can't write without a title. But know that I'm going to try to have it finished by Thursday! Also review, because I'm trying to decide if I'm going to write a follow up. If you like it let me know! ***

**Moment of Truth **

Kyle Broody collapsed as he appeared in a small puddle of dark dirty water. Primrose hopped away from the falling man to escape being crushed. The little girl and the young white lighter had appeared in a dark damp part of the underworld that seemed completely abandoned. Breathing heavily Kyle reached out his arm to Primrose, to comfort the sobbing little girl.

"It's ok Primrose, we're going to be fine. Don't worry." He whispered through clenched teeth. A cold sweat was starting to fall from his brow and Primrose had tears streaking down her face.

"I just want my mommy and daddy. I don't like it down here." She stamped her foot and magic sparked upon impact.

"Prim did you feel that?" Kyle tightened his grasp on her hand.

"Feel what?" She stopped crying distracted.

"The magic?" Kyle pointed to her foot. Primrose crinkled her nose and shook her head stamping her foot again in anger. The sparks flew again and this time Primrose was looking down and saw them.

"I got my magic?" Primrose asked.

"I'm not sure. I need you to think about something really hard. Maybe on creating light?" Kyle suggested trying to swallow his pain and give the little girl something easy to try her magical abilities on.

Primrose pressed her lips tightly together and squeezed her eyes shut. She clenched her tiny fists and tried to think of light with all her might. But as the frightened child that she was, it wasn't light that her thoughts focused on but her mother. Kyle watched as the youngest charmed child tried to hone in on her powers. The little girl seemed to emit a bright pink light from her light skin.

"Primrose!" Phoebe's voice rang off the stones around Kyle and Primrose. Hairpins falling from her now dishevel bun, Phoebe caught sight of her youngest child standing near a fallen man.

Piper and Paige came trotting behind their sister both with their hands up defensively waiting for more demons to appear.

"Mommy!" Primrose shouted not opening her eyes. Kyle moved his head and smiled as he saw the Charmed ones moving gracefully towards them. In the fifteen years since he had last seen the three women, he couldn't help but noticed they really hadn't changed. Though aged with wrinkles around their eyes and gray hairs hiding amongst their dark hairstyles. He would admit that the three had only gotten more graceful, powerful and beautiful.

"Open your eyes Primrose." Kyle whispered. The little girl's eyelids fluttered open to look down at her whitelighter.

"Is that who I think it is?" Paige's voice went up an octave higher than usual.

"That's Kyle Broody. Right?" Piper demanded. Phoebe was distracted holding open her arms as she ran towards her daughter. But the sweet mother daughter reunion was thwarted by the appearance of more demons.

A volley of dark arrows was shooting towards Chris and Prue, smashing into the chalkboard and bouncing back. Prue waved arrows out of her own way while still trying to wave arrows away from her jumping nephew. Chris was attempting to take out the dark lighters themselves, pushing them back with his hands. Neither charmed one nor charmed child was having much luck with their endeavor though. Suddenly, Chris in his vigor focus to take down the main dark lighter missed the dark figure that came up behind him. An arrow flew directly towards his heart as Cole appeared in the cave. His dark brown eyes widen as he surveyed the scene.

"PRUE!" Cole shouted at the eldest charmed one. She turned around, her dark hair flying up as if suspended in the air. Without a thought to herself she thrust her body in the way of the arrow and her nephew, letting the dark tip pierce into her right shoulder as she fell. Chris turned around in time to see the impact. Letting out an angry yelp the boy shuttered with an electrical power as lightning jumped from his core and bounced off the walls in every direction. The lightning hit the dark lighters and every single attacker was charred to dust.

"Prue? Prue are you all right?" Chris dropped to his knees and stared down worriedly at his aunt.

"That was incredibly impressive, remind me not to piss you off." Cole commented starring in wonder at the cave around him. There were burn marks from where the lightning had struck the rock walls and the remains of the dark lighters remained all over the ground.

"It's Aunt Prue to you buddy." Prue coughed at him groaning. Chris cracked a smile, even under pressure the charmed wit shone through.

"You have to pull out that arrow, it won't kill her but it should be heal nonetheless. Also you have to be extremely careful not to touch the tip because you are a white lighter." Cole suggested.

"Yeah because I've suddenly forgotten that I'm part white lighter." Chris responded sarcastically.

"Oh, little flesh wound. I've had plenty of these, no problem kid. Just yank." Prue said bravely. Chris grimaced giving Cole a questioning look. The ghostly old demon gave a curt nod and the young man squeezed his eyes shut. A stifled scream and a clattering of a cast aside arrow melted into one combined sound. Chris clamped his hands together and pressed his palms into the open wound.

"Aren't you part white lighter?" Prue demanded.

"Yeah." Chris frowned annoyed that this was still part of their conversation.

"But he doesn't know how to heal." Cole sighed knowing where the question was leading.

"You don't know how to heal?" Prue laughed. "Maybe I should have gone with Wyatt."

"Oh really let's give me more of a complex about Wyatt, that's exactly what I need from my family. More love for Wyatt." Chris spat bitterly. In his annoyance he straightened his arms more and pushed down on the wound.

"Chris, honey. That's rather painful." Prue said through clenched teeth. Chris alleviated the pressure and concentrated on his breathing. Closing his eyelids over his green eyes everything seemed to slow down for a second.

"So not to hurry you in whatever it is you're trying to achieve, but you do know that your entire family is stuck in the underworld. They have Henry and Patience now and it's only a matter of time before they call Wyatt." Cole commented.

"They already have Wy. I'm ready to follow him right after this." Chris said each word separately as he focused his attention on his hands. A warm glow emitted from his hands as he spoke of his older brother and the situation at hand.

"It seems that you kids gain powers the bigger the threat to each of you." Cole nodded impressed with the situation.

"Maybe you should stay and rest?" Chris gave his aunt a critical stare as he jumped up onto his feet.

"Right and let you go by yourself. Impulsive and reckless party of one, I think not." Prue winked at him as she held out her hand to be helped up. Chris sighed resigned to the situation and helped her up as he orbed.

Leo Wyatt rarely cursed his lack of powers these days, but on occasion a situation would arise much like this one. Leo let out a frustrated sigh because even without his white lighter abilities he knew that everyone he loved was in trouble. A flash of a heart and Coop appeared near his brother-in-law. The overtly tall cupid looked pale as he stared down at what Penny was making.

"Anything?" He demanded.

"Coop you've got a better ability to read where they are than I do…" Leo rolled his eyes, trying to hide his impatience.

"Yeah, but you know the charmed ones and your children better than anyone. As I understand it's all up to my dearest nephews." Coop puckered his lips in thought.

"Those boys are extremely powerful." Penny snapped as she mixed in another root to her mixture.

"Believe me, we know Penny." Coop rolled his eyes.

"You can't sense them then?" Leo demanded of the cupid. Coop curled up his lip into a slight smile that only lasted seconds.

"I can feel Phoebe, much more than the girls but she is moving around a lot. Also she's not exactly feeling loving currently. Patience and Penelope seem to be blocked from me, which doesn't bode well. And I think I am sensing Primrose's magic." Coop frowned at the oddity.

"I've always thought she might develop her powers when no one else was around to protect her." Leo nodded. Grabbing the bowl from Penny, Leo proceeded to pour the dark substance into a glass vile with experienced hands.

"Do you two have an actual plan or are we just making potions?" Coop tended to get a little snappy when his girls were all in danger. Leo's cell phone vibrated on his desk and Coop reached down, pressing the speaker button easily enough.

"Where are they?' Henry's voice was crisp and annoyed. As the only real mortal in the family, Henry had proved himself in magical situations again and again. The problem was that none of the husbands had been in this situation ever before. It is true that each man had at one point had their children taken from them and their wives in hazardous and dangerous situations. But though they might be use to the charmed ones having to fight their fights or Wyatt, Chris, Patience and Henry being attacked. Never had the demon community taken their vendetta to such extremities as to include all of the children and the girls at any one time. That was clearly a suicide mission. But for all their confidence in their wives and their children, this particular attack had come a little to close for comfort for any of the men.

"They are being held captive by some powerful demons." Coop crossed his arms and started pacing again.

"And what exactly are we doing about it?" Henry shouted through the phone receiver.

"You boys are aware that you're not the charmed ones? And two of you are mortal and one of you is a cupid?' Penny gave Leo and Coop a mocking glance.

"No, we totally missed that Penny." Leo replied sarcastically. For anyone who thought all of Chris' sarcasm came from his mother and aunts, they had never annoyed Leo enough to notice that the one angel was just as sarcastic as his son.

"Mom, the boys are just worried no need to taunt them." Patty reappeared.

"Why aren't you with Wyatt?" Leo's old blue eyes snapped up to his young mother-in-law.

"He was called away and I can't seem to find him anymore." Patty sighed.

"Called away?" Penny asked.

"I'm pretty sure the other kids used the to call a lost witch spell. Because one moment I was with him and the next he was engulfed in light that took his away." Patty sighed.

"Leo how long do we wait in this situation?" Henry demanded still on his line.

"Someone will check in, we just have to be patient. Let them do their thing." Leo groaned. He hated the idea as much as both of his brother-in-laws but there was nothing that they could do.

"And I'm sure that Coop has plenty of work to do, being a cupid before Valentine's Day." Leo nodded.

"But my family…" Coop started.

"You will know if there is anything wrong, you will feel it. Or we shall call you, don't worry they are very good, my girls." Patty patted Coop on the arm lovingly.

"What are you guys exactly working on?" Coop demanded for the second time.

"We are working on the essence of self, a potion that will reverse effects of the evil inducing toxin that the demon boyfriends were feeding the girls." Penny explained.

"It seems that Chris might have been right this time." Leo smiled despite himself.

"That's going to be make him bearable. Maybe if he didn't throw around so many theories on a regular basis, we would be more likely to believe him." Coop wiggled his eyebrows for a second. "All right you all know how to reach me."

With that the cupid disappeared again into his bright red flash. Henry coughed into the receiver to remind Leo that he was still sitting on the phone.

"Anything I should do?" Henry asked, desperate to have an action plan.

"Well maybe if you want to swing pass the manor every so often, just to make sure nothing is happening there? I mean since we expelled the nexus they don't tend to go back there as much but you know. I'm pretty sure that the kids have the book of shadows by now." Leo sighed. There was no doubt in his heart that the book of shadows was deep in the underworld by now. When Patience and Henry hadn't return within twenty minutes of leaving, he had known that they had been lead down to the battlegrounds below. And with Henry having gone for the book it was only logically that the Halliwell heirloom was with him.

"Now we just wait?" Patty looked expectantly at Leo.

"The curse of the dead and mortal." Leo nodded, pouring more of the potion that Penny had made into yet another vile.

A dark green goop oozed slowly along the dirt of the cave as another demon exploded. Phoebe kicked the fancy pointy heel of her shoe into the gut of yet another demon that popped like a balloon. Paige had tried to orb over to Primrose but the little girl had ran head first towards the demon that was attacking her mother. With her tiny head down and her ponytail flipping wildly, she emitted the pink aura again but instead of hitting her intended target she slammed into a demon that shimmered onto her path. The collision didn't hurt the little charmed child though instead it sent the large demon hurtling towards a stone column.

Paige laughed at the scene of the tiny little girl in pink taking out the oversized slimy demon for only a second.

"Paige, look out!" Kyle called to her from behind. The spunky woman didn't bother to even look back at what might be attacking her before summoning a pile of rocks forward to hit her attacker. Her torso turned with the flying rocks and once the demon was taken out, She walked right over him to pale dying Kyle Broody.

"Why if it isn't the fed?" Paige smiled sadly at her old lover. The sadness of recognizing a man she once loved, a man who hadn't aged since she had last seem him die.

"Fed huh? Well legs, you going to do some healing or you just going to watch me die again?" Kyle tried to laugh off his own joke but it the laugh came out more like a gargle of pain. Paige bent down and clicked her tongue in a maternal fashion.

"Good job leaving the arrow in there, buddy. And wait for it." Paige's fingers danced over the wound for a second as she magically extracted the pieces of the arrow from Kyle's shoulder.

"Look at you super witch." Kyle laughed. The rest of the cavern had gotten quiet, except for the happy chattering of Primrose.

"What is Broody doing here?" Phoebe demanded. Primrose was nestled into her mother's torso, with her legs clutching Phoebe's waist and her arms resting around the charmed one's shoulders.

"Back to calling me Broody? That must mean she's back to not trusting me. I thought we got over that when I helped saved the world and all that." Kyle sighed as the warm light of Paige's hands worked their magic of bringing color back into his cheeks.

"Well if we trusted everyone that helped us save the world, we would be dead. Care to explain what you are doing in the underworld with my niece?" Piper demanded. Her hands were resting nicely on her hips and her glare drove Kyle to start giggling. A rush of emotions had overtaken the whitelighter upon sight of the charmed ones that was now catching up with him.

"Mr. Broody is my whitelighter." Primrose announced before Kyle could compose himself.

"Excuse me?" Phoebe clutched at her youngest tightly as her brown eyes pierced through Kyle. Taking a deep breath and looking down as he scratched his head, Kyle nodded his response.

"Actually, I'm the cupid charmed girls whitelighter." Kyle risked looking up to see the stun face of Phoebe Halliwell.

"Not that we don't need to talk about this, but we do still have other children to save." Piper tapped her foot impatiently.

"I can actually help with that situation, I know where the throne room is." Kyle started to walk along the dark corridor to their left.

"Throne room?" Paige repeated.

"Yes, this plot is a little more involved than you probably anticipated." Kyle stated his voice getting further away as the girls hadn't started following him yet. Piper started walking after Kyle, while Phoebe shared a scared look with Paige. Paige shrugged at her older sister and the charmed ones and Primrose walked after the whitelighter.

Wyatt stood helplessly stuck on a point of the triquetra. His blue eyes shifted to steal looks at Patience and Henry who both looked terrified at the corner they had backed themselves into. Within the first few minutes of arriving to the place where he was summoned, Wyatt had noticed quite a few things. He had seen the book of shadows, lying ungraciously open near Henry's feet. He noticed the two ornate chairs sitting on a platform with a pretty looking demon and the powerful shrouded figure that seemed to be the puppet master of this rendezvous. Wyatt had learned at a young age to observe as much as he could from a situation before he started blasting things to smithereens.

"So young king, would you like to hear your choices?" The aged man with the dark curls on the platform asked. He's voice was steady and commanding and Wyatt understood that this man didn't expect much trouble beyond this point. Obviously he hadn't learned enough about his cousins and himself, otherwise he would not be so calm.

"Why do you keep calling me king?" Wyatt's wide brow creased with an intense curiosity. The oracle jumped to her dainty toes resembling one of the porcelain ballerina's on music boxes as she walked on her toes towards the shrouded man. She placed her hands on his shoulder using them to pull herself up to his ear where her lips moved so quickly it appeared as if she weren't speaking.

"Well, well that's indeed unexpected." The master demon laughed. His dark eyes sparked with a contempt that was unmistakable as he stared right at Wyatt.

"So are you going to share what was unexpected or just start in on the fighting?" Wyatt demanded. The tall youth had his arms crossed now defensively and his blue eyes appeared to freeze over with indifference.

"You are Piper's son indeed. Straight to the point with you both, never ones for just the plain old chit chat." The demon laughed again. Wyatt didn't respond his jaw dropping down a bit signaling he might speak but his mouth remained clamped shut.

"I call you young king because that is exactly what you are. But you see that Oralia here has just informed me that apparently you don't know of your own future. I assumed you would, silly of me of course, your mother was probably trying to protect you which is usually the cause with Piper." The demon nodded.

"So?" Wyatt gritted his teeth. He was a proud young man he didn't want to admit that he didn't know something that the demon obviously did. But it wasn't unlikely that his mother had kept something from him, possibly something direly important to this situation. "What is it then?"

The demon laughed again, clearly enjoying this added dimension to his unfolding plot.

"You, dear boy, are the master of Excalibur." The demon announced. The other evil creatures lining the walls of the back of the large cavern whispered amongst themselves excitedly. Wyatt didn't turn to study them. His eyes were completely focused on the main demon speaking to him. Melinda and Patience had audibly gasped at the proclamation as Henry had frowned suspiciously.

"I'm sorry, come again?" Wyatt managed to say finally. The demon's eyes truly sparkled now and his lips curled up into a genuine smile that caught Wyatt off guard completely.

"You are the new King Arthur young Wyatt, the first true master of Excalibur to come to the world in centuries." The man winked at Wyatt.

"Excalibur like the sword?" Henry squeaked, his voice cracking under the pressure of the situation.

"That would be correct." The man didn't remove his gaze from Wyatt's surprised face though.

"Say that we might believe this," Patience started.

"Oh you do, you may be young and inexperience but you all believe in all magic even those that you didn't before believe to be true." Came the cockily confident voice of Mr. Tolliver from somewhere behind her.

"Say we do, why is that important to you?" Patience demanded. Melinda opened her mouth to start speaking but a warning glance from Javin reminded her that she was not suppose to have her own free will. So instead the girl forced her thoughts towards Patience, in a timid attempt to tap into the power source that the mysterious being had told her about earlier. As she had the thought, Patience voiced Melinda's concern.

"And who are you?" She demanded. Only Melinda noticed the confusion flicker across the oldest cupid's face as she recognize the words coming from her were not her own.

"Valid questions, we skipped introductions because I feel as if I know you all so well. That and well we have possessed some of you." The main demon waved her hand rapidly over the outer points of the pentagram where Pandora, Patricia and Penelope stood devoid of emotion or expression.

Kyle had turned around suddenly and held his index finger pressed to his lips up clearly for each of the girls to see. Stepping lightly they approached an opening of the corridor they were in. Hugging the wall and shadows, Kyle motioned for the charmed ones to take a look. But before any of the girls got any closer to the throne room, Prue and Chris orbed in right next to them.

"What are you doing here?" Piper hissed. Chris though didn't wait to explain himself to his mother or aunts, but orbed right back out leaving Prue with her sisters.

"Chris you get back here!" Piper said a little louder than she intended. Kyle and Paige hushed her in unison.

"Oh you wait until I get my hands on that horrible son of mine." Piper growled under her breath.

"Tell Piper to shut up and listen, the demon is introducing himself and this is the part where he explains his plan." Cole commented to Prue as he walked out into the main cavern. There were advantages to being stuck in-between the land of the living and the dead mostly that no one could see him.

"My name is Nemod. And the young king is important to me because I want him to rule the underworld dearest." The man's smile melted into a full grin now.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Phoebe whispered to Paige.

"I won't do it." Wyatt bellowed.

"Ah but young king, I never said that ruling the underworld was the choice you had to make. Indeed you have a choice to make, but it's not about if you will rule the underworld exactly."

"Then what is this choice you keep talking about?" Wyatt hands were curled up into tight fists and he kept shifting his weight as he fought to release himself from his family built cage. The magic of the pentagram and the triquetra though were strong and would hold even the twice-blessed child for a little while longer.

"Why isn't Wyatt moving?" Piper demanded.

"He can't, the pentagram and triquetra that they are standing works as a magical bond holding the individuals to the whole." Prue explained.

"How in the hell did you know that?" Phoebe asked. Prue and Piper exchanged a knowing look and fell silent.

"Oh yeah they don't know anything they're not telling us." Paige rolled her eyes whispering her sarcasm.

"Well before I present you with your choice, you should see something to understand what exactly is going to happen." Nemod snapped his fingers at the young oracle. The demon twirled down to Melinda, carefully skipping over the lines of the pentagram and triquetra. Her pale almost transparent hand touched Melinda's shoulder lightly as the powerful little fortunate teller showed the young witch her vision. Falling into a trance, Melinda's eyes rolled back and her head snapped down. Pandora and Patricia awoke from their hallow existence to turn and face each other once again. The fusion of the water and fire creating their smoke screen ready as Oralia danced back to Penelope. Upon the touch from the Oracle, Penelope held up the palms of her hands and light sprang from her and life flickered on the screen.

"How the hell are they doing that?' Paige demanded now.

"You guys really aren't good at this staying quiet thing?" Kyle sighed.

"As you look around you young Wyatt, you might notice that we have all the powerful members of your family excluding one." Nemod pointed to one tip of the triquetra left empty.

"You won't get Chris." Wyatt growled suddenly.

"Not to stand there, of course not. We were never going to get Christopher. He's been lost to the good side from the moment he was conceived you see. Unless you can persuade him to join you but that seems unlikely. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. It's not Chris we're talking about. Penelope darling would you call for her now?" Nemod asked politely.

"Primrose!" Penelope chanted the name out unnaturally.

"Pen! Don't. Prim don't come!" Patience let out a shrill scream to her youngest sister. Though she was unsure where her youngest sister was, she knew that if the demon was asking for her she must be near.

Phoebe had clutched her youngest closer to her chest when her name had been called but the young newly magical witch wasn't easily contained. Glowing pink again she magically pushed herself away from her mother and straight into the cavern.

"Damn it Primrose!" Phoebe called after her youngest.

"Phoebe!" Paige hushed her.

"Oh we know you are there my charmed friends. The increase in power was your unmistakable signature. But we did want you to stay and watch, I did once tell you that we would back once we had time to regain our numbers and strength." Nemod tilted his head. Julian, Adam and Javin appeared at the mouth of the corridor snapping their fingers down in a childish wave they brought down an iron gate sealing the charmed ones away from the throne room. Before they could think to turn back down the way they came though Grace, Olivia and Navya appeared behind them and in the same motion brought down another gate. The girls were trapped.

Kyle and Paige tried to orb out but were bounced back into their confines immediately. Piper tried to blast the gate leading to the throne room but was thrown forcefully back into the other gate. She crumpled to the ground unconscious.

"Mom!" Wyatt watched horrified from his stationary position in the middle of the room.

"She's fine Wyatt!" Paige called out to him. Prue meanwhile, was trying her hand at lifting the cage but the harder she tried the less it seemed to do. If anything the gate seemed to be draining power from the eldest charmed one.

"Stop over exerting yourself." Cole grumbled at her.

"You see girls, that's a magical binding cage. Not that I really want to go up against the charmed one. Really you are no threat to me any longer. But I want you to watch as we expose dark secrets to your precious children and as one by one we turn each them away from you." Nemod explained.

"You helped us destroy the triad! I knew I recognize your accent!" Phoebe's face lit up with realization.

"Yes, I must have made quite an impression on the famous charmed ones for you to take this long to recognize me. But enough catching up, we have other matters to attend to." Nemod turned his shoulder away from the imprisoned charmed ones. Turning away from the girls made the rest of the demons ignore the witches as well, as if they really didn't exist.

Primrose had moved right into the empty spot of the triquetra. She tried to move towards Wyatt, but she found herself glued to her point as the rest of them.

"Wyatt?' The little girl cried.

"It's going to be ok Prim. Just don't worry ok?" Wyatt moved forward on the drawn line of the triquetra towards Primrose. He was surprised to find out that he could move along the line so easily when only moments before he couldn't budge. He held out his hand to Primrose but the magic didn't allow for the touch to happen. It was like trying to force to different polarized magnets together. After a few attempts Wyatt gave up and forced a little smile at Primrose.

"Yes, only moments now before you can break free of that confine. Only you have enough power to do that of course, but first you should watch." Nemod pointed up above Wyatt's head again. The scene was still waiting to be played out. The steam screen was still fuming above. Melinda was still in a trance and Penelope's arms were still up. Oralia, the oracle, had taken her place back on the secondary throne on the platform. The air was heavy with the tension of anticipation. Julian and Adam moved behind Penelope and let out a light breath of air pushing the steam forward so that the screen was directly in front of Wyatt Halliwell.

The images flickered again starting cloudy at first and then the shapes became clear. Being forcefully pushed in by two large no-nonsense types of demons Chris and Dervin came into the cavern unnoticed by anyone.

The image cleared up instantly broadcasting the future. An older, darker Wyatt stood up straight in what looked like the manor's attic taunting his younger brother. The images that played out were a new vision to the charmed cousins but an all too horrifying and familiar picture to the trapped charmed ones.

"Of all the people to betray me," Wyatt was dressed in all black. He stood perfectly straight with his arms behind his back, walking away from his younger brother as he said the words.

"I didn't go back to betray you Wyatt, I went back to save you." Chris argued the image flickered to the older Chris and a familiar looking girl next to him. Wyatt turned at he word save, with a disdained look on his face.

"Save me from what?" His lips curled into a mean spirited smile.

"From whatever it is that turned you." Chris defended, still standing his ground.

"That's always been your problem Chris," Wyatt was standing over what looked to be a hologram of the book of shadows. "Stuck in the old good versus evil. I'm so pass that. It's all about power." Wyatt proclaimed.

The image kept flickering as the conversation continued. The charmed cousins not emptied by the evil possessing them were enthralled by this future that was being portrayed. Patience was fuming at the back of Wyatt's head, not sure that she should blame her Wyatt for the action of this future Wyatt or not. Meanwhile Chris was standing struggling to get out of the demon's grasp at the back of the cave while also trying to place the all to familiar girl in the vision.

"You know if anyone else tried what you tried. I'd kill them on the spot. But you," Wyatt was giving Chris a familiar look of disapproval. " I've forgiven Bianca, I can forgive you too. If you promise never to cross me again."

Recognition burned in Chris' green eyes. Bianca was the girl who had been sent to kill him in the club. His mouth dropped open when he realized that he was with her in the future but he frowned. Did that mean that she was going to constantly be trying to kill him? Did she know something about their future that he didn't. These thoughts flew through his mind as he chuckled to himself for his future respond to Wyatt about knowing him better.

Wyatt watched impressed that even in this strange and deranged future, Chris was still holding his ground well enough. And even for what seemed to be their great dislike for each other, the brothers in this future scene were still bantering as him and his little brother did just today. But there was the moment that Chris went to far, as he often did even in the present day. Future Wyatt didn't stand for the offense though and present Wyatt found his fist twitching to beat himself up for trying to kill his little brother.

"Have you lost your mind? I don't need you!" Wyatt was using his powers to beat up his little brother, hell Wyatt was using his powers to kill his little brother.

"No, that is not their future we changed that!" Piper had awoken with a vengeance. She tried again to desperately blast her way out of her prison but with each blast she let off, a ricochet would bounce off of the gate and into her sending her flying.

"You are going to hurt yourself." Paige tried to hold her oldest sister's arms down.

"Though now we know what happened that time with future Chris." Phoebe watched the images having never actually seen this scene played out. The future played out until the moment that Chris used his powers to throw Wyatt against a wall, knocking him unconscious. Chris had heard his aunt Phoebe though and wondered what exactly she had meant by the comment about future Chris.

The steam screen and images disappeared as rapidly as they had appeared. But the stolen memories of lives never lived were never going to be erased from either Wyatt or Chris memories.

"And now young king, for your choice. I'm sure you're dying to find out what it is." Nemod laughed. Wyatt angrily orbed from his place along the curved line of the triquetra near Primrose. Orbbing onto the platform without much thought.

"Yes, powerful indeed. But though you can be released, remember the rest of them cannot. Not even by you." Nemod warned.

"We," Nemod motioned to the collection of demons in the back of the cave. "Desire you to become the new source of all evil. Being such a powerful being, we seem to think that you would be perfect. You have after all proven to be a great evil leader in previous lives yet unlived." Nemod made a clicking noise.

"Wyatt, don't listen to them!" Piper was screaming through the bars of the gate.

"There comes a day where every mother must let go of her children, today's your day ladies." Nemod pantomimed zipping his lips and charmed ones could no longer be heard at all.

"What is this choice then?" Wyatt turned, standing at his full height. His blue eyes stared down at Nemod because the demon was a bit shorter than the young Halliwell.

"I want you to join us. Because of the things that we could do, but before we can make you the full fledged king of the demonic legions. The most powerful evil man to ever exist in all of time, you must first become evil. So Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, your choice is this. Either kill contestant number 1," Nemod's dark eyes traveled to the back of the throne room where a large brute demon pushed forward a beat up Dervin.

"Or watch us kill your beloved little brother." Nemod actually laughed as Wyatt gasped when Chris was pushed forward.

"Surprised to see him tied up I suppose?" Nemod nodded to himself. "You're little brother as you know is rather impulsive and he actually arrived exactly when we expected him."

Back inside the sound proofed cage of the charmed ones, Piper was swearing up a storm. Cole had popped his head in to inform Prue that Nemod had cut off their sound.

"You idiot." Wyatt grumbled glaring at Chris. Though the glare was only half hearted because the worry was clear in Wyatt's blue eyes.

"You see Wyatt, we've always understood two things about you boys. Though always seemingly at odds, you're much closer than either of you even understand. Even in that future we showed you, where you were clearly the master of all evil you would not kill him. Something compels you to protect him even when he was trying to destroy you." Nemod gave Wyatt a pitiful smile.

"I wasn't trying to destroy him!" Chris shouted at Nemod.

"Chris, shut up." Wyatt said through gritted teeth. Though he didn't know what his brother could possibly reveal about a future that he was sure that Chris didn't know anything about.

"Well I wasn't trying to destroy him, you stupid ass demon. I was trying to save him. There's a difference. We're always out to protect each other." Chris spat at the demon. "And besides, obviously he hadn't killed me yet."

"I might today." Wyatt muttered under his breath.

"No matter young one. Obviously we understand there is a connection." Nemod was starting when Patience interrupted him.

"Well you don't understand the connection well. You think of it as something unexplainable, something beyond their understanding. But they understand it, they are brothers and no matter what side of the magical fight they're on. They can't do anything about the fact that they are brothers and on some level they will always love each other." Patience's eyes were a resilient red that glowed as she spoke the truth about the Halliwell brothers' relationship.

"ENOUGH." Wyatt's voice was deep and commanding and no one, demon or relation, dared speak. Melinda awoke from her trance seized her opportunity of stillness and silence and shook with power as she took deep breaths to focus her attention. Everything froze. The dozens of demons, the famous and powerful charmed four, and every single one of the charmed cousins. Everyone froze except for Wyatt and Chris who stood utterly confused by the stop action.

"Listen to me for a second, I don't know how long this will last." Melinda snapped at her brothers.

"You froze mom." Chris said unable to pry his eyes away from the frozen charmed ones.

"It's a power tap. We're in a power tap and I'm pretty sure that Wyatt can control it better than even I can. All we have to do is figure out a way to get Dervin, Chris and you, Wyatt, in here." Melinda spoke so quickly her words flowed into one.

"Who told you it was a power tap?" Wyatt demanded unsure of the situation and even more unsettled of taking advice from his novice of a witch younger sister.

"A magical being, what does it matter?" Melinda snapped at him. She looked so much like his mother that he just nodded in defeat.

"The demons are waking up." Cole commented breaking Chris out of his daze. As both Melinda and Wyatt still couldn't see the old demon or hear him.

"All right we're going to try to get all of us in there, and then we're going to try to send everyone home." Wyatt started.

"You need more powers than just yours to make the power tap work." Chris rolled his eyes.

"You're going home."" Wyatt shouted.

"Maybe we can deal with that in a second? We have to make sure to send the evil girls to magic school." Melinda pointed at her cousins.

"We have to get mom out of that cage before she really does hurt herself." Chris frowned. An image flickered in his mind, an image from a past life that danced in his memory just like it belonged.

"How are we going to do that and save everyone out here?" Wyatt asked desperately worrying as he started to hear slight movement.

"Wait, Cole?" Chris looked at the demon. "Tell them to use a power of four spell, I think they'll understand that."

"A power of four spell?" Wyatt and Cole said together in confusion. Chris just nodded before the entire room seemed to power up again and spark with life.

"Impressive young king, you are indeed a fine choice for our future." Nemod applaud Wyatt. The tall ran his hand through his blond curls in a panicked attempt to not let his confusion shine through.

"But your choice. Now. We will kill young Christopher or you will kill young Dervin. Either way we win you see. We destroy a constant problem or we turn you against your own beloved little brother." Nemod winked at Chris at this point. Chris struggled against the brute demon that was holding both his shoulders tightly keeping him not only from moving but also from orbbing.

"You know you'll never win right?" Chris shouted angrily as he struggled against the demon.

"We're always going to be stronger than you. Always." Chris continued.

"You're resilient spirit is really quite impressive Chris, maybe if Wyatt chooses to do as we please we might be able to turn you. That would be wonderful, I like having sets." Nemod nodded. The boys were putting up a show, trying to buy their mom and aunts some time while also trying to plan out a course of action in their own heads. They hadn't had time to discuss an actual plan, or any kind of signal so the Halliwell brothers were going to do what they did best. Wing it.

"Save Chris, Wyatt." Dervin whispered his own condemnation. Dervin had been brought onto the platform, purposefully right in front of Patience. Shaking from angry and despair, the teenage girl opened her eyes as big as they could get as she stared at Dervin. She saw the dashing Irish orphan that she had taken an interest in at first because she knew how much everyone in her family would disapprove. But in that moment when Dervin smiled at her, through the dirt on his face and the fear that shone through his blue eyes Patience stopped breathing.

"I won't hurt an innocent." Wyatt shook his head determined.

"So be it." Nemod snapped his fingers. The giant demon holding Chris produced a dark lighter arrow from his pocket and thrust it into Chris's side. Still clutching the young man though the demon didn't allow the paling Chris to fall to the ground.

Wyatt had taken a step forward but the Oracle had blocked his path with her dainty figure.

"I've seen his future. Fight you must and fight you will. But choose your path carefully for one will fail and the other prevail." Her eyes were cloudy and Wyatt didn't take another step forward as Chris gave him a tiny nod.

"That was just a test young king. You can still save your little brother. You know how dark lighter arrows work and there is time. But you must decide now, this one is a real choice either you spill your brother's blood or the innocents." Nemod mocked the weighing of both options with his hands.

"You've never even liked Dervin Wyatt, you can't tell me that you hate me that much!" Chris shouted swallowing hard at the last word. Wyatt watched his younger brother he could feel the pain course through his own body so he knew how much Chris was pretending to be brave.

"CHRIS!" Patience begged from her stationary spot on the pentagram. She had tears running down her face. She wasn't sure she could watch Chris die, but she was absolutely positive that she would die if something happened to Dervin Rogers. For in this moment of life and death Patience Halliwell had realized what Chris had noticed days before, she was in love that juvenile delinquent.

"It's true you've never liked Dervin Wyatt, you can't let your own brother die to save him." Henry pointed at Dervin with a frighteningly convincing disdain. But Chris had caught his younger cousin's eye and he knew that Henry had understood their act, fortunately Patience had yet to understand.

"Then I'll kill him." Wyatt feigned his resignation to the idea.

"Ah perfect!" Nemod smiled and the Oracle pulled a small sword out from behind the throne.

"This was the sword that Arthur used until he found Excalibur. Befitting is it not for your first kill?" Oralia smiled at him as she bowed. Wyatt grasped his fingers around the hilt of the sword and started towards Dervin.

"WYATT! Please, you can't do this!" Patience was begging, falling to her knees. Wyatt was trying very hard not to hear his cousin or look at her. His heart would not be able to deal with her defeated state. Also it was taking all of his self-control not to drop the sword and run to heal Chris behind him. Chris stamped his foot three times and popped his lips, a signal that Melinda recognized from their younger days. Whenever Chris needed Melinda to provide a distraction, he had always done the same thing. It was a wonder that Leo and Piper hadn't caught on that Melinda had been acting as a decoy for her older brother for years. Every time Chris had needed to sneak in from being out to late, or sneak out because he was grounded. Every time that the young boy had wanted to steal a cookie or needed to hide the pieces of something he broke, Melinda had thrown herself into dramatics to provide his cover.

"Chris said something about a power of four spell?" Prue frowned at her sisters.

"How do you know that, when did he say that?" Phoebe demanded.

"It doesn't matter, a power of four spell though what is he talking about?" Piper tapped at her jeans impatiently twitching. Piper was ready to blow up some demons, particularly the one that had handed her oldest son a sword. She was also thinking about freezing and blow up the demon that had stabbed Chris with a dark lighter arrow bit by bit.

" How would he know about that spell?" Paige asked confused.

"Again does it matter? I think the bigger picture is that he suggest you use it for a reason." Kyle argued.

"To get out of here?" Cole suggested.

"It's a way to get out of here?" Prue echoed the thought.

"I don't know if I can remember that spell, that was a really long time ago." Paige chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

"It was a simple spell." Phoebe started pacing trying to remember the fight in the parallel universe from sixteen years back.

"Why did you guys have a power of four spell?" Kyle wondered.

"Alternate universe, two of me and two of Phoebe. Piper was in laborer and Wyatt was under attack. You know the usual." Paige waved her hands back and forth in a nonchalant manner.

"Sounds like you girls just kept on having fun without me. Was I helpful at all in this epic fight?" Prue asked.

"Oh of course! You helped us be who we are, without you we would have never been able to defeat the source." Phoebe smiled at her oldest sister.

"This is no time for issues, our kids are out there fighting for their lives. Spell, let's go!" Piper snapped at her sisters.

"Ok, I think it went something like we call upon the ancient lore, to punish with the power of four," Phoebe started.

"Strike down this threat from both there and here, make him suffer, than disappear?" Paige questioned. "We did write it for Gideon."

"Ok, so we change the words to make it quickly go and disappear?" Prue suggested.

"Perfect. Let's go. Ready?" Piper hurried them along holding out her hands.

"Kyle, once the gate is up go straight for Primrose get her out of here?" Phoebe demanded more than asked of the whitelighter.

"To magic school." Paige nodded.

"Tell them that the priority for the guys is the evil kids." Cole suggested to Prue.

"Oh, also not that I think we're going to get very far before having to fight more demons. But the boys are trying to get the girls, the ones that have been slightly skewed by evil to the manor first." Prue sighed.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?" Phoebe jumped up again.

"Phoebe! Focus!" Piper stamped her foot.

"You know you guys don't change much." Kyle commented from his spot near the gate.

"Tell me about it." Prue laughed as Piper crushed her hand. "Right the spell."

The charmed ones said the spell, in perfect sync with each other as if the four sisters had been fighting with each other for decades. It was an incredible sight to behold because it would be the only time that the four sisters would ever say a spell together. It was a perfect combination of Prue's commanding presence, Piper's resilient spirit, Phoebe's loving self and Paige's excitement. The gate dissolved as the spell finished and Kyle orbed towards his target as the girls came out fighting.

"Come, bitter conduct, come unsavory guide! Though desperate pilot, now at once run on, the dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark! Here's to my love!" Melinda had placed her hand dramatically over her heart and outstretched her other in traditional Shakespearean pose. With her sudden outburst everyone was focused on Melinda, Chris sent an electric shock through his body causing the demon to let go of his hold on him. Piper proceeded to blast at will the demon that had been holding him.

"PATIENCE YOU'RE A CUPID, STUPID!" He shouted at his cousin before dropping to the ground. Chris crossed his arms and started rolling himself towards the pentagram. Wyatt had flung himself around with the sword and was trying to fight with Nemod but wasn't succeeding. The oldest charmed child had never held a sword before in his life and just because he was the master of a certain Excalibur did not make him an expert swordsman.

Understanding had dawned on Patience as had her eyes closed and held both her hands over her heart carefully. After a few moments of rocking back and forth, Dervin disappeared from the grasp of the demon that had been holding him and appeared in Patience's arms.

"WYATT!" Chris hollered as he tumbled into Henry's feet. Henry bent down and started healing almost immediately.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt shouted back.

"WYATT!" Chris waved the arm he didn't have pinned against the ground. Wyatt was orbed into the middle of the exact middle of the symbol. Wyatt threw up hands and concentrated on the power tap that Melinda had told him existed as he threw his force field over his family.

"Wow." Dervin gasped looking around at the blue shimmering light that had surrounded them.

"How are you doing that?" Patience demanded.

"For Wyatt to keep having the power to do that, we have to have someone standing on the five corners." Melinda explained.

"Why don't I just orb all of you home?" Wyatt groaned.

"Yeah and we're just going to leave you here to deal with all this!" Chris motioned to the demons trying to fight their way into their protective bubble.

"Besides it looks like mom and the aunts could use our help." Melinda pointed towards their fighting family members.

"Then Chris will stay, but no one else." Wyatt announced.

"Really?" Henry and Patience glared at their oldest cousin.

"Mr. Broody!" Primrose screeched as she watched Kyle enter the protective barrier.

"Obviously he's a good guy." Henry frowned.

"Whitelighter." Kyle nodded. "I'm to take Primrose back to magic school."

"You should really take Dervin too, maybe heal him?" Patience pushed her boyfriend forward.

"I don't know if I should," Dervin started.

"Magical powers," Patience pointed at herself. "Mortal who almost died?" She questioned him.

"All right!" He shrugged and limped over towards Kyle.

"And the book. Prim, you hold on to this like if it was Gregory the Hippo?" Chris snatched up the book and handed it to the youngest of the clan. Gregory the Hippo was Primrose's most prized possession and the only way that Chris could think to explain how dearly she had to protect their family's ancient history. Primrose held out her arms and tried to take the book but dropped it.

"I can't." Primrose frowned and pouted.

"Of course you can. Now stop being such a baby." Chris snapped at her hurriedly.

"Don't yell at her!" Patience glared at Chris. "She's been through enough today with your attitude Chris."

The force field started to flicker now and Wyatt's arms were started to shake.

"Stop it." Wyatt growled at both of them. "Primrose you have to take the book for us, it would really help us out." Wyatt smiled down at the youngest.

"I can help." Primrose smiled up at him. Wyatt laughed and shook his head.

"Please don't tell me you're going to start telling me you have a right or need to stay to fight demons too."

Primrose shrugged threw her hands up above her head and the pink light she was glowing with before spread up reinforcing Wyatt's force field nicely.

"When did you learn to do that?" Chris demanded.

"Time, guys!" Melinda begged watching the demons getting closer.

"I'll help you carry the book." Dervin suggested to Primrose. He bent down and held the book with one of his hands. Primrose smiled and nodded taking the rest of her book in both her arms.

"Be careful." Kyle warned, giving Patience a rather pointed look before orbbing away with his charge and his other charge's boyfriend.

"I told you, young king! Either you kill or we will kill everyone that is dear to you." Nemod shouted over the fighting going on around him. In a brisk unseen motion, a wind swept through the cavern and the lines of the symbol holding together the power of the charmed cousins was broken suddenly. Julian appeared behind Penelope and Adam behind Patricia.

"Now let's see how you fare fighting against your own." Mr. Tolliver laughed manically. A shot of ice went towards Henry while Penelope was happily conjuring knives that she was flinging at Patience. At Navya's appearance near Pandora a burst of flames went at Wyatt. Pandora blasted her older brother, hitting him squarely in the jaw, freezing the boy in a solid block of ice. Javin appeared behind Melinda and Chris noticing the trend ran with all his might straight into the demon that had posed as one of his oldest friends.

"I trusted you!" Chris threw a punch at Javin's jaw.

"Chris!" Melinda screamed.

"Stay out of this Melinda!" Chris warned as he started punching at Javin. Javin didn't do much fighting back instead he let Chris take out some of his anger. Though all their memories were magically created, Javin still did know Chris Halliwell better than most. Melinda tried to interfere though and at the moment that Chris arm hurtled into his younger sister on accident because she had gotten to close is when Javin started fighting back.

"You moron! You should stop fighting the one demon in this room that isn't out for blood!" Javin was whispering his words to Chris in hopes to not give himself away.

Melinda was attacked from behind by a scabber demon. The ooze came spitting out and hit her neck making her scream in agony.

"Melinda!" Chris and Javin both shouted suddenly. As the stream of more ooze came flying towards the young witch, Paige had noticed what was happening from nearby and sent the ooze back towards the demon. At that point a star shaped knife was hurtling towards Melinda outside of any of her family members eyesight. Javin caught view of it though and ran at Melinda with all his might sending her into the ground with a thud but keeping her from being hit.

"JAVIN!" Mr. Tolliver's voice boomed over everything else. Chris shot electrical bolts at the old Ankron demon to distract him from his friend.

"Get her out of here. And Javin, I'm trusting you." Chris pointed at his finger with one finger for a second. "You know how capable I am of holding a grudge."

Javin nodded and shimmered out with his sister. Wyatt was running around the iced over Henry, making Pandora hit the block of ice with her fire stream. The ice was melting down and the water was running around reaching the feet of Patience and Penelope. Patience was managing to freeze the knives as they got close to her face but she was unsure how to proceed in a magical fight with her younger sister. Watching the water an idea came to mind, remembering her newly acquired levitating power. Kicking off from the ground and remembering what her uncle Leo had taught her about her powers being connected to her emotions. Patience sent her body up into the air, doing a somersault of sorts leading her land behind Penelope. In the sudden movement of her feet, Penelope slipped and fell onto the ground. Patience didn't waste anytime in jumping on top of her youngest sister and freezing her demonic fake boyfriend.

"DOES ANYONE HAVE A PLAN?" She demanded into the cloud of her fighting family members.

"Hold on!" Wyatt shouted back, as he grabbed hold of Henry's elbow. Healing as he moved he forward toward Patience.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt called out.

"WYATT!" Chris responded back appeared next to his older brother.

"Really that's like your own game of Marco Polo, isn't it?" Patience demanded of them.

"The time for that?" Chris glared at her.

"Focus for me for one second Chris." Wyatt demanded. "The three of us, with our white lighter powers are going to orb the three of them to Magic School."

Wyatt said this while waving away a stream of fire coming from Pandora. Chris kept making Patricia's stream of ice hit the ground, making the floor of the underworld cavern into an ice rink.

"On three…" Wyatt started.

"How about we just do it now!" Chris suggested.

"Go!" Henry nodded at the suggestion. Not one of the four young people knew at all how the magic was going to work, or even if it would but it was worth everything they had to try. Patience focused her heart and mind on the love she had for her sister and her cousins, hoping that maybe her combined cupid abilities would enhance the white lighter abilities of her cousins. The boys didn't notice they had closed their eyes until they heard Prue shouting at them.

"Open your eyes you idiots, are you trying to get yourselves killed!"

When the pair of blue, green and brown eyes opened again they beamed at their success.

"It worked." Wyatt sounded surprised.

"We'll celebrate later Wy." Chris suggested as he decked the demon coming towards him.

"That was cool." Henry nodded.

"Let's hope you sent her to the right place, with your orbbing abilities I worry." Wyatt laughed blasting at a nearby demon. Phoebe was up in the air kicking one of the ugly looking tribal demons in the head when she looked down at Patience.

"I want you to go to Magic School!" She demanded of her daughter.

"She's right." Chris nodded turning to stare at his cousin. "And you." He tilted his head at Henry.

"Henry should orb you both out of here." Wyatt nodded.

"And you guys fight alone? No way." Patience shook her head. Freezing the weapon heading towards Chris.

"We're hardly alone, mom and all three of the aunts are here." Wyatt pointed out.

"He's right. You suggesting you're better back up than the charmed ones?" Chris mocked. Knocking a troll away from Patience's legs.

"Fine, let's go before they use super orbbing on us." Patience swung her arm around Henry. The youngest white lighter didn't argue he orbed out of the cavern quickly. There weren't many demons left in the cavern and the battle was clearing up to have a definite winner. It was no surprise to anyone that it was going to be the charmed ones and their prodigy.

Leo jumped under his desk as a flame scorched the top of his antique wood.

"Penny, do something!" Leo hollered from under the desk. Penny was throwing the essence of self potion at Pandora but kept missing the feisty youth. Luckily when Kyle Broody, Primrose and Dervin had arrived at Magic School they had prepared the ghostly family members and Leo of what may come. Crystals had been set not allowing the girls to shimmer back to the battle below. Which was good for containing their young family members but not so great at keeping their fight at bay.

"COOP!" Leo shouted. Patricia was freezing the windows as Penelope was throwing a tantrum worthy of all two-years-old combined. Penelope was flinging books magically off the shelves and ripping out their pages. The cupid appeared in the office at the same moment as Patience and Henry orbed onto the sight.

"Really great." Patience sighed as she exasperatedly threw up her hands and froze all three of her rampaging cousins.

"Impressive darling." Coop nodded approvingly.

"Throw the potions before they unfreeze," Leo gulped pulling himself up from behind the desk.

"Where's Dervin?" Patience asked glancing around.

"Patience your younger sister is possessed by evil and you're asking about your boyfriend?' Coop crossed his arms giving his oldest a parental stare.

"Grams and Leo are going to fix Penelope, are they not?" Patience copied her father's critical glare. Without waiting for an answer she kept going.

"Besides, Pen tried to kill me at least twice today while Dervin was willing to die to save Chris. So yeah, I think I'm going to go see him first." Patience bounced her ponytail up and strutted out of her uncle's headmaster office.

"Patience Calliope Halliwell, you should not speak to your father that way!" Coop puffed at her.

"Uncle Coop," Henry ventured. Coop sighed watching the door swing shut, his eyes rolled down to give his nephew a weary glance.

"It's been a really long day, I wouldn't be too hard on her." Young Henry suggested. "Uncle Leo?"

"Yeah?" Leo had his eyes glued to Pandora who was still frozen but had been hit with the essence already.

"My dad knows what's going on?" He asked. Leo nodded.

"He must be worried. I'm going to go see him, maybe bring him back?" Henry asked. Leo smiled, despite all the bad influences in the young Henry's life including his own sons, the boy managed to maintain his respect for all his elders.

"My kids?" Leo asked lifting his gaze before letting Henry orb out.

"Fighting, I think. I hadn't seen Melinda in a bit though." Henry frowned at the thought.

"She'll turn up darling." Patty said reassuringly.

"Go on with you, don't stay away too long." Leo warned. The young man disappeared in lights as Pandora, Patricia and Penelope stirred again.

"Daddy!" Penelope threw herself at Coop. Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly. Pandora and Patricia blinked as they stared at their surroundings in confusion.

"Fighting there was fighting?" Patricia commented, as she examined the scorch markings on her clothing and glared at Pandora.

"We have to go back." Pandora said immediately.

"Absolutely not." Henry's voice rang clear. HJ had not taken Leo's command lightly, orbbing out and back in a stunningly short time.

"Dad you don't understand." Pandora started, her eyes blinking rapidly. It appeared she was seeing all the action that had taken place while she had been intoxicated by evil with each blink. Her voice was desperate as the color drained from her face.

"It doesn't matter what I understand. You are not going anywhere." Henry shook his head walking towards his two girls. He outstretched his large hands, cupping each over the girls' hair and pulling the twins into his side.

"You're never going to be anywhere without me and my gun again." Henry shook his head.

"Henry, you know that demons aren't really affected by guns, right?" Leo sighed.

"But Wyatt and the Oracle." Pandora was trying to shake herself free.

"What about Wyatt and the Oracle?" All the adults except for Henry demanded.

The Oracle came running towards Wyatt and threw herself into his arms. Wyatt caught off guard and without a defense held up the pretty young demon. Oralia proceeded to start kissing the tall blond youth.

Piper had just blown up a hired gun of a demon that had split into a thousand charred pieces of glass. She flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder to look back at her boys that she knew were still somewhere in the cavern. The charmed ones had destroyed most of the demons, the hired army that had been lining the back walls. Nemod had escaped quietly walking through a wall that looked solid but obviously wasn't. Chris had been watching the puppet master and giving his family a glance he took off after the demon. Cole though had been watching the young man, knowing the Halliwells as well he did he had been expecting the boys to go off as heroes.

"Are you kidding me? GET OFF OF MY SON YOU WHORISH ORACLE!" Piper twisted her wrists repeated blasting at parts of the Oracle.

"You are to follow the young at heart who has been enraged by age, for there you'll find a useful gauge." Oralia warned. Paige threw a glass vile at the Oracle and she shriveled up in Wyatt's arms. Piper crossed her arms and glared at her oldest son.

"I'm starting to worry about your taste in girls." Piper tapped her fingers against her arms.

"Mom that wasn't my fault." Wyatt shrugged sheepishly. His cheeks flushed red as his mothers gave him a warning look.

"Where did that potion come from?" Piper demanded of her sister.

"Leo and Grams. Note on it said something about a possible problem with an oracle and our boy there." Paige winked at Wyatt.

"Prue, Chris." Cole pointed to the wall. Prue took off after her troublesome nephew not bothering to alert her sisters. Cole followed Prue down the corridor, expecting to be more help to the people who could see him.

Chris ran after the demon that had orchestrated this entire fiasco. Tired from the fight and from being stabbed with yet another dark lighter arrow, Chris pushed forward with the help of his need for vengeance. The laughter echoed around Chris and the accented voice that had controlled the happenings in the cavern boomed around him in surround sound.

"I knew it would be you that followed me. Christopher Perry Halliwell, always about your family first. Always the one about the demon fight, you'll tire of it sooner or later. Such a burning passion to protect your own." The demon taunted.

"Didn't you see the future? You against your older and more powerful brother, fighting the good fight destroys your family." Nemod appeared in front of Chris now. He was no longer dressed in his robes, but in a pair of designer jeans and plain white collared shirt.

"Wyatt is always going to be more powerful than you. He's always going to think he can control you. He's always going to be in charge and he's never going to understand your hunt for demons. You're need to prove yourself is childish to him." Nemod taunted.

Chris was shaking with furry, as he sent a blast of magic that missed Nemod by inches.

"Chris, he's just trying to flare up your emotions. Control yourself. Your powers are connected to your emotions remember." Cole had appeared behind the young man and was trying to coach him in this situation.

"What's your learning curve like Nemod, you've already failed at trying to separate my family. In most cases that means that you are a loser." Chris snapped.

"Not you're best comeback young one." Nemod laughed.

"He's right on that point. You're definitely wittier than that." Cole agreed.

"Cause you're helping. What are you like my guard demon angel?" Chris snapped at the invisible Cole. Nemod squinted his eyes and stared at where Chris had directed his gaze for only a millisecond.

"Has the little brother Halliwell gone crazy?" He mocked.

"No but this Halliwell is going to make sure you never come near his brother again." Chris forcefully threw his arm across his chest sending rocks flying over Nemod's head.

"Where did Chris go now?" Piper demanded looking around.

"I think we should put that kid on a leash." Paige frowned looking around.

"He's a free spirit with ambition that nephew of mine." Phoebe nodded.

"And Prue is gone too, maybe they are together?" Piper asked holding on to Wyatt's arm.

"Mom, I have to go." Wyatt stated as he saw the flickering of a shimmer in the corner. The twice-blessed witch wasn't sure how he knew, but he that Tolliver had just shimmered out of the throne room.

"Absolutely not. We're going to find your little brother and then we're going to go to magic school where I am going to lock both of you in a dorm room and throw away the key." Piper was shaking her head forcefully.

"Mom, the oracle said that I had to do something." Wyatt struggled against his mother's tight grip.

"The oracle said? The Oracle said! You really think that argument is going to win with me?" Piper crinkled her nose and shook her head at him.

"Mom, I have to. She saw it." Wyatt whined impatiently knowing he was going to lose the magical trail if his mother didn't let him go soon.

"Wyatt have you met Oracles they are tricky beings." Phoebe cautioned.

"That's what Anka said too." Wyatt frowned.

"An-eh-who?" Piper gave her son a half smile.

"She's the girl I've kind of been seeing, except she's not really a girl so much as the essence of all youth and the keeper of the fountain of youth." Wyatt had dug his hands into his pocket and straightened his arms uncomfortably.

"Yeah, you're not dating until your thirty mister." Piper stabbed her maternal finger into the boy's chest.

"I'm sorry mom." Wyatt closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip as he orbed away.

"Did my son just apologize before openly disobey me?" Piper tilted her head at her sisters.

"Yeah." Paige nodded. "And he's the well-behaved one."

"Now wait a minute, Chris is well-behaved." Phoebe disagreed. When Piper and Paige both gave her questioning looks, Phoebe swished air around in her mouth a moment.

"If by well-behaved you mean he lies and manipulates situations." Paige commented.

"He's impulsive and reckless and can't for the life of him follow clear cut rules." Piper nodded.

"But he loves his family." Phoebe sighed. Paige rolled her eyes and Piper skimmed the cavern one last time.

"Well my boys are big enough for their birches to run away from their mother and aunts, they are big enough to get themselves out of their own demonic messes." Piper announced.

"Really?" Paige questioned.

"I have another child I would like to make sure is safe, who isn't too old for her mother." Piper nodded.

"Are you sure that you're not displacing your fear of being abandoned by your boys by turning it into anger?" Phoebe studied her older sister.

"Oh stop that, don't you want to check on your own children. I know that we focus a lot of energy on my boys." Piper slung her arms around Phoebe and Paige.

"Are you sure about this?" Phoebe asked looking around worriedly.

"Yes. Wyatt and Chris are old enough to learn when to ask for help, they can't keep running away from us." Piper said with a note of finality that left no room for her sisters to question her any longer.

"What about Prue?" Paige asked.

"She's a big girl too. Besides she's the big sister, we have children to tend to." Piper snapped at Paige. "Let's go orbbing half bred."

Wyatt followed the magic that Mr. Tolliver had left behind right to the manor's attic. Javin and Melinda were sitting on one of the Victorian couches, Javin protectively shielding Melinda.

"HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME? You insolent, petulant, ungrateful brat!" Mr. Tolliver bellowed at Javin. Javin's face was set like stone, his glimmering black eyes defiantly looking at his master.

"You have been corrupted," Javin started quickly adding, "Sir."

Wyatt appeared just as Tolliver strongly backhand Javin across the face. The younger demon was sent flying into the shelves of old potions. Tolliver went towards Melinda.

"One Halliwell is as good as several." He commented stretching out his hands greedily.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Javin growled but Tolliver raised his hand causing an old bat to smack Javin in the gut.

"TOLLIVER. You want a Halliwell, why not have me?" Wyatt snapped his fingers at Melinda and his younger sister disappeared in white lights.

"Wyatt, don't." Javin was shaking from his spot near the window.

But Wyatt couldn't be stopped now, shaking with a fury directly at the old Ankron demon. As Wyatt inhaled trying to calm himself a shiny metal object shot out from somewhere behind the boxes of old stuff. Holding his hand like an expert, Wyatt caught Excalibur with one hand. Mr. Tolliver stared into the blue eyes of the most powerful witch of the Warren line and swore he could see the triquetra burn in his irises.

"You'll never come after my family again." Wyatt whispered dangerously low as he shot the sword straight into Mr. Tolliver before the old man could do anything to stop it.

Chris was shooting off his powers in every direction as Nemod started blinking in and out of the place. The demon was laughing at Chris now, openly mocking the youth now. Prue had come up behind and was ready to jump in if her nephew needed her.

"You can't even fight without your brother." Nemod joked. Prue flicked a finger at the demon now sending him flying.

"No more time to play then. You will see me again young one, tonight has served its purpose. Without Wyatt, I will rule and rest assured young friend we shall meet again." And with that the demon disappeared. Anka appeared where Nemod had just stood.

"This was never a fight you were going to win. But rest assured that Wyatt wouldn't have won it either. I wanted you to know dear Mark Anthony." She smiled sauntering towards him. Cole held out his transparent hand in front of Prue, warning her to not stop the interaction. Anka's skin was glowing as she took her few paces towards the younger Halliwell.

"You're the girl that Wyatt was with, Kron's friend?" Chris asked.

"Yes and I wanted to see you for a few reasons." Anka smiled at him, her white teeth sparkling.

"Those would be?" Chris mumbled the words as his ability to speak diminished with each step the essence of youth took.

"First, I wanted you to know that I wanted you as much as I wanted Wyatt." Anka pressed her lips against Chris' open shocked mouth.

"Cole," Prue argued quietly.

"This is a confidence thing, she won't hurt him. I know you never crossed paths with Anka, not that you remember anyway. But you must understand, she doesn't hurt any of the young men she's been with." Cole smiled.

"You reminded me so much of Mark Anthony. Strong, careless, beautiful." Anka said each word in-between small kisses.

"And Wyatt of a naïve King Arthur. Your draw as individuals is strong, your draw as brothers is irresistible." She ran her hands over his shoulder blades as she described her desire for him and his brother.

"The other reasons?" Chris controlled himself.

"Two. One you did not just defeat Nemod because you weren't ready and also because you let him get the better of you. Your emotions and powers are connected never forget that it's a bad lesson to have to learn over. And the other, Javin will need you this week. Please do not shun him." And with that Anka disappeared from Chris' embrace.

"Chris." Prue said his name a few times but not until she called out his full name did the boy blink again. "Christopher."

"Sorry, what's up aunt Prue?" He gave her his best devil gives a damn smile.

"I think you're mother must be ready to kill you by now?" Prue suggested.

"Oh, you're lucky you can't hear her. But I think she has some explaining to do herself this time." Chris held out his arm to his aunt like a gentlemen and orbed away from the underworld a little older, a littler wiser and a whole lot more beat up than when he had come down.


	15. Under the Full Moon

_Author's Note: I lied. Well, sort of, this is the last chapter but there is going to be an epilogue up shortly! Also, sorry this chapter ended up being REALLY long and I tried to cut it up into two chapters but it just couldn't really work. _

**Under the Full Moon **

" You see what they did is basically created their own nexus." Leo was trying to explain. His old blue eyes sparked with excitement as he drew a symbol on a blank paper in front of him.

"Leo, my head already hurts. My daughters tried to kill me today, could we save the understanding theory lecture for later?" Paige mumbled grumpily. She was pushing her pale middle finger forcefully against her temple and outstretching the rest of her fingers in aggravation. The entire family was now sitting in Leo's office, excluding Wyatt and Chris that had yet to return still. Also Penny and Patty had gone back to their ghostly existence at the safe arrival of the sisters.

"We didn't mean to mommy." Patricia mumbled half asleep. The calmer twin was sleeping tucked with her head in her father's side, sitting right between her parents. Henry was rubbing the back of Paige's neck lovingly as he watched his daughter sleep. Further down the couch Henry Jr. sat with Pandora curled up with her head in his lap completely asleep.

"So when I had the power to freeze mom that was because I was using the power of the nexus that we created?" Melinda said slowly trying to explain the situation. The girl was sitting on a chair with her knees pushed against her chest tightly. She was peering around her mother's hunched over body to look at her father while she spoke. Meanwhile Piper and Patience were hovering over Melinda and the table where they had scrying materials spread out. Piper was holding onto a crystal that was spinning over the city map while Patience held a second one that kept hopping around. Both mother and cousin were concerned for the whereabouts of the oldest charmed children.

"Yes. Truthfully it's incredible, I really need to do more study on the creation of nexuses based in humans rather than in elements. If we look at it, Pandora could be fire and Patricia could be water." Leo started mumbling to himself quickly.

"I was the key in being able to skew the magical nexus to good because I wasn't induced like Dora, Tricia and Pen?" Melinda continued.

"Yes, again why weren't you induced with the same evil?" Phoebe asked. Phoebe was lounging with her head on one armrest and her legs swinging over the other armrest of her chair. Primrose was tucked behind her legs, resting her head on her mother's stomach whilst she sucked her thumb.

"Git bemause aba davin." Primrose tried to communicate through her teeth and thumb.

"Princess please stop sucking your thumb, you are much to old for that." Coop begged from across the room.

"Speaking of too old, you know she's not an infant right?" Henry raised an eyebrow at his brother-in-law. Coop had a sleeping Penelope hoisted up on his hip, his large around protectively around the girl as her head was nuzzled into his chest.

"Really, we're going to discuss on those two baby the girls far too much?" Piper sighed grumpily.

"Oh like you're one to talk, you would stick those boys in a play pen if you could." Paige rolled her eyes.

"And I resent that my girls are not babied." Phoebe squealed. Patience rolled her eyes at her mother.

"No, none of you are over protective at all." Prue had appeared in the middle of the room alone. Well not truly alone for anyone that could see that Cole appeared soon after her.

"Prue, weren't you with Chris?" Piper slammed the crystal down to stare at her sister.

"Well she orbed here didn't she? She had to have been with one of them." Paige snapped.

"Excuse her, she gets grumpy when she's tired." Henry sighed apologetically.

"Like we don't know." Phoebe laughed.

"No but really Prue, where is Chris?" Piper demanded again. The ruffled mother looked around the room expecting to see her middle son hiding somewhere.

"I'm not sure, I thought he was coming with me. It appears he's much better at orbbing than he lets on, because he must have gone somewhere else. But there is no more immediate danger from what I can gather. Nemod said something about rebuilding without Wyatt and disappeared." Prue blew her hair out of her face.

"They are back at the manor," Cole commented as he had moved to stand behind Patience. The girl hadn't let go of her crystal and it had dropped right onto the familiar worn out spot of the map where the Manor laid.

"They've gone home." Patience commented.

"Does that mean we get to go home?" Paige yawned dramatically.

"Shouldn't we maybe talk to the boys about the whole vision they saw?" Phoebe asked as she shifted to sit up straight. Piper was shaking her head furiously though.

"What vision?" Leo demanded perking up from his drawings and mumblings about human nexuses.

"The one that showed them basically almost killing each other. Wyatt was a pretty evil, was that really the future?" Patience frowned asking the roomful of adults.

"No. It was not." Piper said furiously.

"Piper," Phoebe started.

"What did they see?" Leo asked the color from his face draining.

"I'm pretty sure it was the attic floor board incident." Phoebe said quietly.

"The floor board." Leo nodded to himself.

"You know what I want to know, how do the demons keep getting their hands on that particular vision?" Paige demanded. "That's the same one that Billie and Christy were shown when they were turned against us."

"You've seen the vision before mum?" HJ asked from his spot. His eyes were wide and curious as he stared at his mother.

"Paige." Leo groaned. "The children?"

"Yes, then not over protective at all." Prue rolled her eyes again. All the adult eyes turned to glare at Prue standing in the middle of the room, while HJ and Patience smiled brightly at their new favorite aunt.

"That's strange." Cole frowned over Patience's shoulder. The crystal was shaking ever so slightly but enough that Cole realized that something else was happening at the house. Piper at that moment gasped, clutched at her stomach and fainted.

The sun was setting as the clock chimed half past five in the manor. The last of the day's light pushed into the attic creating soft shadows that danced upon the walls. But one shadow was perfectly still of a young man standing tall holding a sharp and powerful object.

"Is that Excalibur?" Javin said in a painful awe from his crouched position near the shelves he had been thrown against. Wyatt gripped the sword so tightly his knuckles were turning white. His eyes stared at the spot where Tolliver had just vanished. No blowing up, no shriveling, no dust, no guts, no nothing. The sword had just made him dissolve as if the demon had never existed. Wyatt spun the sword around, studying every part of the perfectly crafted metal. He ran his rough fingers over the shiny metal and it was like a baby realizing they had control over their limbs for the first time.

Kron appeared sitting with his leg crossed over his knee. He smiled as he pushed his sleek Ray Ban sunglasses up and down over his eyes. Javin stood up straight with his hands neatly tucked into his back pockets, starring at Kron expectantly.

"This is why I came and not Anka. She would have been unable to resist you." Kron finally pushed the sunglasses up against his hair. Wyatt snapped out of his intent attention on the sword and stared at Kron.

"You!" Wyatt pointed the sword angrily towards Kron. Kron laughed and pushed his long white finger against the tip of the historical weapon.

"Excalibur, the maker of kings. I want you to know Wyatt. I think you would have been a king with or without this fancy sword. Really, I think Arthur would have been fine without it too. But you know magical beings need magical items, its like mortals and their good luck charms. Superstition doesn't discriminate against anyone." Kron laughed. Wyatt lowered the sword and set it down like a cane and leaned on it.

"You helped Melinda earlier?" Wyatt nodded at him.

"I did. I figured I should, as you were going to help me with the rouge child." Kron spit down at where Tolliver had stood.

"You guys aren't allowed to interfere with Magical kids?" Wyatt asked. Kron nodded.

"But as you know, young people often don't do what they are told." Kron laughed. "Which brings me to you,"

Kron glared at Javin. Javin popped his lips and took an interest in his dirt covered converse shoes. Wyatt smiled recognizing the parental tone and the guilty stance of Javin.

"All my memories of you aren't real then?" Wyatt demanded. Javin looked up and his black eyes carried with them an ancient sadness that Wyatt would never understand. But it was Kron that answered the question.

"Anka and I implanted those memories." He nodded.

"They are what made me fall in love with your sister, it's why I didn't do as I was told. I couldn't do that to her, or to Chris." Javin sighed.

"As we figured it would." Kron nodded.

"So this entire thing was your fault?" Wyatt asked Kron now.

"Quite the contrary King Wyatt. Without our help your little clan of family members might have not made it through tonight's battle." Kron pushed his chin out at Javin.

"The plan on our part was always about maintaining our youth forever and not having to follow around the fountain of youth for all eternity. The larger plot was always about you. You could lead the underworld to a victory unlike anything they've ever seen before. And with you turned to evil's side, they could collect your family members. This, sufficiently saving themselves from the growing threat of the charmed children." Javin started to explain. So Wyatt stood in the attic, listening to the demons entire plan explained to him. It was the first of many debriefs that would happen in his lifetime, but the young king did not yet understand that this was the battle that would define how he would lead.

Chris appeared in the doorframe of the attic on cue as the discussion finished. He was covered in dirt and his clothing was torn and ripped. His forehead wrinkled as a frown developed on his face.

"Well then it was true?" Chris demanded. Wyatt dropped the sword in surprised the metal clanking onto the wooden flooring. He turned to face his younger brother, worry washing over his face.

"What have you been doing?" He asked walking forward to examine Chris.

"I went after that nimrod that was orchestrating the whole thing." Chris spat his green eyes still focused on the sword behind Wyatt.

"He's name is Nemod." Javin provide from behind the boys.

"You, where's my sister?" Chris shifted his weight so that he could properly turn to glare at his so thought old friend.

"Safe." Wyatt said immediately.

"Chris," Javin started but Kron had stood up.

"No, Anka is calling can't you hear her?" Kron clasped his arm around Javin and the two disappeared instantly in a poof of smoke. Leaving the Halliwell brothers alone, Wyatt looking over his brother with concern while Chris shook with an unknown anger.

"I'm fine Wyatt." Chris spat the words in annoyance. He pushed past Wyatt to walk further into the attic his eyes still studying the sword gleaming on the ground.

"He got away then?" Wyatt asked again calmly. The older boy did not understand his brother's hostility but had grown use to Chris' moods.

"Why do you always assume the worse happens when I'm involved?" Chris shouted at his older brother. His hands were curled into fists, his cheeks were blotching red and his eyes were burning into Wyatt.

"I didn't assume Chris, I knew." Wyatt stated plainly. "The Oracle…" He started but Chris had lunged at him. Anger had boiled up in Chris that even he didn't understand. And before the teen knew what was happening he was swinging his fist at Wyatt.

The adrenaline from the day was still pulsing through the brothers. Wyatt had no desire to fight with Chris but he wasn't about to let his little brother beat him up. The boys wrestled with each other on the ground of the attic, tumbling about throwing punches. Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Prue ran into the attic to find the boys fighting, Wyatt was holding Chris down as he repeatedly slammed his fist into the younger boys face. That lasted for only seconds before Chris wriggled out from underneath his brother and slammed his shoulder blade into Wyatt's gut.

"Wyatt! Christopher!" Piper clapped her hands loudly at her sons.

"Boys, stop that!" Phoebe stamped her foot.

"That was a really weak left hook Wyatt." Paige commented.

"PAIGE!" Her three sisters snapped at her. Leo had come up slower than the sisters once he realized that the threat wasn't demonic. He stepped into the room and automatically went over to his struggling boys.

"That's enough." He said forcefully. He reached down with his hands and grabbed the collar of each boy's shirt. Leo pulled his boys up aggressively to their feet. Both boys struggled against their father but Leo was stronger than he looked and kept both teenage boys at bay.

"Enough." He said sternly as he shook them. Wyatt's right eye was starting to swell as Chris' bottom lip was bleeding. Neither boy seemed to be repentant of their actions in the least bit. Piper stepped forward and bent down, her long graying black hair sweeping in front of her as she picked up the glittering Excalibur.

"Boys, you know how I feel about fighting." Piper said her voice low and dangerous as she examined herself in the reflection of the sword. She lovingly ran her finger from the tip of the sword to the hilt before throwing it across the room. The ancient object flew with direction and purpose disappearing behind boxes as quickly as it had come. As soon as the sword had been restored to its natural place in the attic Piper turned to glare at her sons.

"You two!" Piper pointed a maternal finger at her boys.

"Look mom, in one whole piece!" Wyatt motioned one of his hands up and down his body.

"Oh you think you're cute now do you? You two are SO grounded until further noticed." Piper hollered at them.

"Cause that's so different from all the time how?" Paige crossed her arms and muttered under her breath.

"Paige." Phoebe smacked her grumpy younger sister.

"Why are we grounded exactly?" Chris demanded. Phoebe shook anxiously feeling the anger starting to build in Chris.

"Why? Really? Running off to fight demons alone? Completely disobeying me!" Piper glared at her boys.

"Oh really Piper," Chris spat angry. Leo tighten his grip on the back of Chris neck.

"I'm sorry?" The lights above their heads popped and glass came crashing down.

"Er, I mean mom." Chris said a little quieter. His anger subdued as his mother's flared.

"Yeah. That's right, it's mom to you." Piper fumed. "And you are both in so much trouble!"

"Look mom! We're not the only ones that have some explaining to do! What the hell was that about Excalibur? Don't you think that was an important detail about Wyatt's future, about our future that we should have known something about? Did you know that Wyatt tries to kill me in the future?" Chris shouted trying desperately to wriggle out of his father's grasp. It was surprising that Leo could still manage to keep his teenage sons in line much in the same manner he did when they were much younger.

"Watch your mouth, young man." Prue snapped at Chris.

"Chris." Wyatt groaned at him.

"I think you should maybe tell them now." Phoebe sighed.

"Stay out of this." Piper snapped at her sister.

"Piper, they have a right to know." Phoebe stated. The empathic charmed one was twitching with the resentment coming off of not only Chris but also Wyatt. Though Wyatt was much better at hiding it than his younger brother.

"I don't want to." Piper growled.

"Really?" Prue shook her head at her younger sister.

"It's getting late." Paige shifted uncomfortably. It had been a really long day and she did not want to sit through an argument with her sisters, especially not one involving her equally stubborn nephews.

"Piper maybe we should wait to have this discussion later." Leo nodded agreeing.

"Don't we get a say in when we have this…" Wyatt started but with one glare from his father he didn't finish his thought.

"What discussion. We are not having a discussion." Piper said stubbornly.

"Piper it's not like Wyatt is going to forget about Excalibur. And they saw the future that Chris came back to change, it is about time we told them." Paige nodded as she yawned.

"That I came back from where to do what now?" Chris demanded finally pulling himself free from Leo. The teenager had waves of emotion almost electrically rolling off of his body.

"How could you keep that from me!" Phoebe shouted at Paige suddenly. Her hand snapped up to cover her mouth.

"PAIGE!" Piper chastised.

"Wow, Chris. Honey, we weren't trying to lie to you that was never our intent." Phoebe walked out towards Chris with her outstretched hands.

"What is going on? How much don't we know?' Wyatt finally sounding frustrated. Leo had let go of his oldest, knowing Wyatt would not run off as easily as Chris might.

"Piper?" Phoebe begged in her babyish voice.

"Mom, you can't possibly not tell us about our own future. Don't you want us to be prepared?" Chris demanded.

"Stop using that tone with me young man." Piper snapped at him.

"How about we talk about this tomorrow?" Paige begged.

"It's late boys." Leo warned.

Melinda stood in the doorway watching her family, experiencing the tension that was floating through the air around her. She stared at the way her brother Chris tensed his shoulders in anger, he was rubbing the back of his neck in aggravation a habit he had since she had been born. She grimaced as she could feel Wyatt twitching, her oldest brother only twitched when he was beyond tired.

"Mom," Chris whined.

"Yes, whine that will definitely help your case." Cole nodded from his observing spot near the window. He had watched the scene unfolded not participating. Cole was getting use to the idea that he would soon be unseen by the family he followed so closely and he must get use to his solitude once again. Piper snapped her hands in front of her successfully freezing both of her sons in an instant.

"Get over here and help me say a sleeping spell." Piper demanded of her sisters.

"Piper, the boys aren't toddlers anymore. You can't just put them to sleep every time they are too difficult." Leo argued.

"You're going to use a sleeping spell on your teenage sons?' Prue frowned.

"Argue with me and I will use it on you too." Piper dared her oldest sister.

"Mom, I don't think this is going to help the problem much." Melinda suggested in a tiny voice. "Also how did you freeze them, I thought that your power to freeze didn't work on us?" Melinda asked.

"Shush Melinda." Leo quieted his daughter.

"I will turn you into a toad if you don't keep quiet. Your brothers need some sleep and so does mommy, so this is what we're going to do right now because I can't deal with this." Piper twitched. Paige and Phoebe knew not to argue with their sister as they shifted towards her.

"The spell?" Paige asked.

"To help this mother find some peace and make the endless day cease." Piper chanted.

"Let my nephews find some sleep without having to count too many sheep." Paige added biting her lower lip.

"And let their angry be dissolved until this problem can be solved." Phoebe rounded out the spell. Wyatt and Chris both collapsed onto the floor fast asleep. Melinda slipped down to her knees and pushed herself in-between her two big brothers. The younger girl slipped her hand into Wyatt's curled fingers and nestled her head into Chris' shoulder. Leo sighed starring down at this three children, if only he could protect them forever.

"Counting sheep, Paige?" Phoebe shook her head.

"I couldn't think of anything else that rhymed with sleep all right? It's been a long day and my kids tried to kill me, cut me some slack." Paige rubbed her hand over her eyes.

"Well join the club, we hand out t-shirts when your kids have tried to kill you at least three times." Piper responded sarcastically.

"Wow, you must have a lot of t-shirts." Paige mocked.

"You are really helping there, Paige." Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"We haven't tried to kill you that many times mom!" Melinda argued.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart." Piper smiled at her youngest.

"Do you guys really think that they are going to wake up tomorrow and not demanded to know everything still?" Prue asked looking down at the sleeping boys.

"Oh, not a chance. Those boys have inherited stubbornness on both sides. No way my nephews don't wake up asking the same questions. Someone is going to have to get over their mother hen issues." Phoebe sang the last part of her statement.

"You're one to talk, your little girl is moving pretty fast there in the bad boy direction. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it?" Piper mocked.

"You know what Piper," Phoebe started.

"These are my big sisters ladies and gentlemen, the people I look up to." Paige scoffed. Prue laughed at the sisterly squabble, it seemed that no matter how many years passed and how many children her younger sisters were still the same old Piper and Phoebe.

"A little help, Paige?" Leo kicked his foot into the sole of Wyatt's shoe. "They aren't exactly as small as they once were when Piper would put them to sleep suddenly."

"You've used magic to make them go to bed before?" Prue looked indignant.

"Don't you give me that look, you try raising two young witch white lighters who refuse to do what they are told. Their terrible twos were not easy and lasted for years." Piper rolled her eyes. Paige waved her nephews and niece to their rooms.

"I'm going to get them ready for bed." Leo sighed trudging down after his orbed children.

"Should we try to send Prue back?" Phoebe asked.

"I want to go to bed!" Paige whined.

"I think Chris is going to have to send me back." Prue commented, crawling onto the couch and pulling the blanket over most of her body. She yawned and stretched out her arms.

"Is this your cue to tell us to go to bed?" Phoebe asked resting her hands on her hips. Paige nodded vigorously from behind Phoebe.

"It has been a very long day." Piper nodded slipping her coat off her shoulders.

"You'll call us about the boys tomorrow? And we're still having Wyatt's party the night after tomorrow?" Phoebe hooked her arm into Paige's arm. Piper nodded and the two younger charmed ones orbed out of the attic.

"Piper?" Prue sighed.

"You know you don't have to sleep up here, we can move Chris into Wyatt's room. Or set up one of the pull out beds." Piper suggested fretting over her older sister. Prue sat up curling into the blanket and starring with eyes full of pity at her sister.

"You've had a hard time then?" Prue sighed. Piper stopped fretting and held her hand on her cheek for a second. In the darkness of the attic, Cole moved from his spot near the window and lit candles on the middle table.

"How did…" Piper asked starring down at the flames.

"Cole." Prue shrugged. Prue's eyes never moved from her younger sister's face. In the soft light Piper seemed to shed all her years and she was once again the scared young woman in her mid-twenties that Prue had left behind.

"It was bad for a while. But it hadn't been that bad lately, but my boys being in danger. I didn't want them to have to deal with that future, we changed that for them. I already lost Chris once, I will not let that happen to them again." Piper sat down next to her big sister and let go of all her maturity and strength.

Meanwhile Leo finished setting the last crystal down in Wyatt's room. The older man sighed as he stared into the dark room, as Wyatt flung his arm off the bed in a tumultuous sleep. A crashing sound behind him made Leo turn his attention to the room across the hall. Quietly the father closed the door to his eldest son's room and hurried across the hall. Opening the door plastered in band stickers, warnings to keep out and pictures that lead to Chris' room.

The teenager was mumbling frantically in his sleep as he rolled around the bed. His hands were defensively thrown up and his magic was causing objects to float around him. Leo ran his hand through his graying hair and stepped into his younger son's room.

"I have to stop Wyatt from turning evil. Please believe me." Chris cried out. Leo's heart jumped into his throat as memories came flooding back to him of the neurotic disobedient twenty two year old that had come from the future to save his older brother. Leo sat down on the edge of the bed and placed his arm on the struggling young man.

"Buddy it's just a dream. It's ok." Leo whispered softly trying to wake the boy from his nightmare.

"At least he believes me now. Oh come on!" Chris shouted at the figures in his mind. Leo sighed as he placed his thumb on the center of Chris forehead, running his finger back and forth slowly. It was a technique that Piper and Leo had figured out when Chris was just an infant. As a baby, Chris had been a fussy sleeper and Leo smiled slightly at how things never quite changed.

"You're ok Buddy. Everything worked out. You saved Wyatt and you changed the future. You're ok." Leo whispered in lyrical tone. The city fell asleep that night in the same fitful restless sleep as the Halliwell clan.

A loud beeping startled Patience awake. She stretched out her arms as she yawned. Blinking rapidly, she pushed herself up and looked around the room. Cole was standing beside her bed examining the family portraits she had taken the year before.

"Good morning," She smiled at him as she jumped off the bed.

"Patience," Cole said softly in a tone that the young girl recognized as lecturing.

"Isn't it too early for a lecture?" Patience rolled her eyes. She started snapping through her clothing in the closet searching for an outfit to wear. "And really what are you going to lecture me on? That I was careless yesterday? Maybe that I care to much for the juvenile delinquent that I'm dating?" Patience mocked. She flipped around holding a black and white polka dotted dress.

"Patience," Cole shook his head and turned to stare at her. He was suddenly at lost for words though as the young girl looked so much like her mother. With her hair sticking up and her cheeks slightly flushed under her chestnut eyes.

"Cole?" Patience frowned in confusion. But he didn't say anything lost in his own thoughts.

"I'm going to shower, I'll be right back." Patience flipped her hair at him and walked out of her room. Cole snapped out of his trance after only a few moments, wandering into the living room aimlessly.

Phoebe was sitting atop on of the kitchen stools focusing all her morning attention on drinking the coffee. Coop had long since left the apartment, having more than enough work to accomplish before the big cupid's holiday. Primrose was sitting on the couch watching an unnervingly high-pitched cartoon while munching on cereal. Phoebe put down her coffee mug and squinted at the digital clock on the microwave.

"Penelope! You're uncle Henry is going to be here in twenty minutes!" Phoebe called out to her middle child. Primrose hopped up from the couch and skipped over to the sink to dump her cereal bowl. Phoebe's cell phone started ringing and she sighed starring at her caller id.

"Good morning sunshine," Phoebe said into the phone sipping at her coffee again. She sat listening for a few seconds before responding again.

"Piper, are you sure the boys should go to school today?" Phoebe asked. Again listening to a few minutes before she smiled.

"So they're mad at you?" She asked. A shrill sound came from her phone as she stifled a giggle. "Yes, yes. Some time to cool down, but Wyatt is still going to pick up and drop off Patience?"

A few more mhms and ahas happened as Piper explained to Phoebe the plan to tell her teenage sons about everything. Wyatt would be coming to the restaurant after school and Chris would go straight to Magic School to stay with his father and aunt. It had been decided that Piper would explain to Wyatt about Excalibur and his alternate evil self, while Leo would explain to Chris about his past future.

"And we're having dinner at the manor and sending back Prue?" Phoebe asked as she snapped at Primrose to hurry and change into her school clothing. Cole laughed watching his once true love banter with her older sister the same way they always had and would. He smiled picturing the brooding silence of Wyatt and Chris in the manor this morning, the boys would have been furious at being put to sleep last night. He knew it would be hard on the sisters sending back Prue, back to only days before her own death. These thoughts brought back his attention on the scurrying Patience. The young teenager had waltzed back into her room with patted dried hair.

As she combed out the knots of her hair, Cole appeared behind her once more.

"I suppose you're going to actually lecture me now?" She fluttered her innocent eyes up at him. He chuckled softly as she teased her hair a bit before tying it up with a red ribbon.

"Patience," He started again.

"Yes, you've said that three times now," Patience rolled her eyes.

"You're sassy this morning after you're near death experience yesterday," Cole commented.

"Being charmed means shrugging off the near death experiences, doesn't it?" Patience started powdering her cheeks.

"You're not charmed." Cole pointed out. Patience looked shocked as she put on lip-gloss.

"I'm the closest thing to it." She whined.

"You have to undo the spell that makes you able to see me." Cole stated walking away from Patience. She flipped around, her eyes flickering a dangerous maddening red.

"Why?" She demanded.

"'Because, you're not suppose to be able to see me. I don't exist on your plane. You know I'm right and if you don't want me to tell your mother what you've done…" Cole warned.

"You can't talk to her, how would you possibly tell her?" Patience challenged the old demon.

"I will talk to Prue and believe me I know you're aunt Prue much better than you do. She will agree with me and she will tell your mother. Or I could talk to Chris about it, he's all about rules that aren't pertaining to him." Cole threatened.

"You wouldn't dare." Patience pouted. Her annoying screeching pop sang cut through the tension in the room and she flashed Cole a victorious smile.

"Wyatt and Chris are here, I have to go to school. Can't miss that, you want me to get an education and all." Patience swooped down and grabbed hold of her backpack before running out of her room.

"We're not done talking about this." Cole shouted after her. He wisped away and appeared in the backseat of the Halliwell's jeep. Henry was sitting rather uncomfortably in the back of a very quiet car when Cole appeared.

"Oh, hey Cole." Henry whispered.

"Boys fighting with each other then?" Cole asked. Chris flipped down his visor and looked into the backseat with the mirror.

"Morning there, kid. Nice split lip. Big brother did a number on you," Cole smiled.

"I gave him a black eye," Chris mumbled under his breath not wanting to bait Wyatt anymore. The brothers hadn't spoken to each other once this morning yet. Actually neither boy had spoken to their parents much either this morning, even though Piper and Leo had plenty to say. Patience crawled into the car and noticed the tense atmosphere immediately.

"Oh this is going to be fun." She groaned slipping in her ear buds. Cole sat in the middle of the car full of silent teens knowing he would have to wait for the opportune moment to convince one of them that Patience must undo her spell.

The storm had finally completely cleared but the day was left with the residue of gray and damp skies. High above the dreary day though, an eight ball was smacked into the right side pocket of the pool table and Kron slinked up. Javin was leaning against his cue at the other end of the table, no sign of disappointment over his defeat.

"So young one, what is your decision?' Anka asked waving her hands and making the pool table disappeared. The impeccable white room was completely empty aside from the beautiful three young essences still standing.

"Do I get to keep my memories?" Javin asked quietly as he studied his own hands.

"Those memories aren't really yours." Kron cocked his head at the younger demon. Javin swallowed and ran his hand through his long black locks.

"They wouldn't do well without me and without Tolliver. We need direction and everyone knows that a young person in a position of power is better equipped to lead than an older person disconnected from their peers." Javin quoted an ancient doctrine that Anka had come up with in the early 11th century.

"Such a sweet boy, worrying about your family" Anka strode towards him, pushing herself up onto her toes to hug him. Javin let her hug him but didn't make a motion to hug back. He had known what his decision would be the moment Anka and Kron had posed the question. Anka and Kron had given their child a choice to stay in San Francisco as a mortal or to run the academy of demons and remain immortal.

"I can see them again?" Javin asked.

"We do not get involved with magical beings." Kron shook his head. There was a heavy moment of silence before Anka giggled.

"But rules are not our strongest point." Anka patted Javin's hand softly.

"May I say good-bye before we leave?" Javin begged starring straight at Kron. Kron was more adapt to laying down the law than Anka ever had been. Anka winked at Javin before throwing herself into Kron's open arms. She started kissing his neck as she wrapped her dark milky-way arms around his shoulders.

"All right then, go on with you but only until night fall. We are moving the fountain at sunset Javin, no later." Kron pointed a stern finger at Javin before he got lost in Anka's embraces.

Javin didn't wait any longer but shimmered out of the room before either of his so-called parents changed their minds.

The middle school hallway was packed with tweens talking, giggling, fighting and some even trying to walk to their next class. Javin appeared unnoticed pushed against a wall of lockers, at least a head taller than most in the hallway he had no trouble spotting Melinda. She was one classroom away from him completely lost in her own world with a mysteriously trouble look on her face. He conjured a single white lily that he patiently held behind his back until she was closer. Waving his index finger he made time move quicker around her, the bell rang and everyone else disappeared almost instantly. He held out the single lily in front of her to block her path and her warm brown eyes glittered with tears as she looked up at him.

She opened her mouth to speak but Javin shook his head, pressing the flower to her lips. He held out his hand dashingly to her, she took it without hesitation. The two young people vanished from the hallway leaving behind them only the single white lily. The two reappeared underneath a winter barren tree, knee deep in snow.

"Where are we?' Melinda asked through chattering teeth. Javin snapped his fingers and she was immediately wearing a large winter coat, a hat and a scarf.

"This is where the first Melinda Warren was actually born. I thought you might like to see it, I didn't account for the snow." Javin shrugged sheepishly. Melinda smiled at him but he quickly transported them again. This time the young couple stood on the banks of a river, surrounded by a lush green and only hints of desert sand.

"Where are we now?" Melinda awed as she studied her surroundings. Javin gave her a devious smile as he took her hand. His arm drew hers up and he pointed to the horizon or to the very river itself.

"This is the Nile, and here is where Cleopatra meet Mark Anthony for the first time." Javin winked at her.

"And you brought me here because?" Melinda questioned him, trying to turn her head to look at him. But the girl didn't achieve much movement as Javin had settled his chin right into her shoulder.

"It's a powerful place." Javin shrugged. Melinda squinted as she studied the river once more. She saw visions dance in front of her suddenly, shadows and whispers of stories long since made into mythical tales. Taking in a deep breath she struggled to pull away from Javin's embrace again. The demon wasn't having her resistance though, he held her with one arm around her waist and another secured on her arm still outstretched.

"Why are we traveling around the world exactly?" Melinda asked frustrated at her captive state.

"Many reasons." Javin laughed into her ear softly. Before she understood what was happening again they were transported. This time they appeared separately. Melinda was standing in an ancient stone balcony looking out into a walled courtyard that's high walls were draped in vines and flowers. She looked around frantically in search of her transporter but saw nothing beneath her aside from the cobbled ground and fancy but nonfunctioning fountain.

"Javin?" She said quietly. But when no answer came and nothing moved in her surroundings she attempted again.

"Javin, where are you?" She repeated louder.

"It is my lady. O, it is my love!" Javin seemed to have stepped out of the shadows of the courtyard below. With each step he took he spoke another word, " O, that she knew she were! She speaks, yet she says nothing! What of that?"

He stopped directly underneath the balcony where Melinda stood and gazed up at her with a mischievous smile. Melinda laughed at his pitiful state below her forgetting her aggravation at this game of travel for only a second. She slammed her hands onto the stone railing and focused a glare she had learned from her mother down at the young demon.

"Javin! Now where are we?" Melinda demanded.

"O speak again bright angel!" Javin winked at her frustration. Melinda rolled her eyes as she realized the game he was playing a verse late.

"We're in Italy then? Safe for me to assume somewhere in Verona?" Melinda crossed her arms as she looked down at him again. Javin shrugged and started floating off the ground as he spoke again.

"Neither fair maid, if either thee dislike." Javin was openly grinning at her enjoying his scheme immensely.

"Javin!" Melinda's voice echoed the distant sound of her own mother's in her annoyance. "Are you going to explain why I ditch school for the world tour or not?"

"Love goes towards love as school boys towards their books. But love from love, towards school with heavy looks." Javin climbed into the balcony now standing near enough to Melinda for her to smack his shoulder harshly.

"Oh, all right!" Javin laughed at her. His arms swallowed her in a hug and the two were again transported. This time when Melinda opened her eyes she saw nothing but sky that is until she looked down slightly and then she caught sight of the bustling city of Paris.

"Are we in the Eiffel tower?" Melinda gasped.

"Oui," Javin responded from somewhere behind her. The girl turned around to discover that the young demon had created a picnic spread in a room that clearly only existed as a magical pocket at the top of the French monument.

"Javin?" Melinda begged now.

"I've made us lunch." He responded as he threw himself down. His black hair rippled with his movement and his white hand shot out to entice his companion to join him. Melinda sighed loudly but took his offer and sat down near him admiring the food magically parading in front of her suddenly.

"All of your favorites from the last thirteen years. From the applesauce baby food you preferred." Javin pointed to the little glass bottle that danced in front of her. Melinda laughed again and shook her head.

"Why?" She demanded again. But Javin shook his head, his black eyes focused on the food being presented.

"Lunch darling. Pleasure before business." He laughed as he grabbed a piece of pizza and soda for himself. Melinda sagged her shoulders in defeat but quickly grabbed an appetizing salad and an iced tea.

"Pizza when we're in France?" Melinda questioned Javin, her eyebrow slightly raised at him.

"We're close to Italy. Actually we were just there!" Javin joked as he munched into the slice in his hand.

"Yes, and why were we just in Italy?" Melinda wondered taking a bite of her salad.

"Curiosity killed the cat Mels." Javin preached.

"And secrecy killed many a demon." Melinda whispered back. Javin lost the twinkle in his eye and the jovial nature of his mood, looking up at her with worry.

"I'm a relatively harmless demon you know. My purpose is to collect the spirit and essence of youth. We, the academy, follow the scent of youth to where it's the strongest and sometimes just watch the events unfold and other times possibly inspire a bit of mischief and rebellion. We have no control over the actions and reactions of the mortals which we affected and rarely involve ourselves in the magical youth." Javin explained as he stared out onto the French landscape.

"But you did with my family?" Melinda demanded softly.

"Ah, well you guys are so very intoxicating. Young, powerful, reckless, naïve, and thirsty for power, love, independence and knowledge every minute of every day one of you is always so distinctly young. And as a group, well you can see what you might smell like to someone of my nature. It was hard not to be drawn to you, we managed well enough for a while but soon it was like trying to keep a cat away from catnip. But it got to the point about a year ago when Wyatt and Chris began to be all we could smell. Those two alone with their sudden rebellion and reckless nature and thoughts of immortality had our attention from half way around the world. So we came with the breeze of the east and stationed ourselves on the coast of California where we have been for about a year. At first nothing was different from any other time we followed the scent and we remained mostly invisible to you and your family. But then Tolliver's eyes got to big for his mouth and he got us involved with Nemod the current demon trying to build a base in the underworld. So that brings us to dark room deals struck between evil forces that planned to bring down the Halliwell clan once and for all. The problem thus lied in the power that truly lies in your brothers, your mother, your aunts and even yourself. I was implanted with memories of your family that I only wish were as real as they feel and I was compromised to the original plan." Javin paused taking a gulp of his soda.

"Everything I remember about you when I was younger didn't happen then?" Melinda asked. Javin shook his head slightly.

"No. Unfortunately, those were all illusions based in face but slightly altered to include me." Jain shrugged.

"And you were compromised because?" Melinda asked holding her fork in midair.

"Love for your family. Love for you. Love is one of the most powerful types of magic that exist in the world." Javin waved out to the city around them. "As the city of love should prove to you alone." He joked.

"Love is not magic." Melinda snapped.

"Ah, quite the contrary darling. Love is very much magic. Everything in the world has magic in it. But we shall return to that subject in a moment what remains is that I was compromised and in turn you never became as evil as your cousins." Javin concluded.

"So you saved me." Melinda nodded at him. Javin shrugged unwilling to take credit for such a feat.

"The world tour though? That doesn't explain why you've been shimmering me or whatever around the globe?" Melinda's brown eyes searched Javin's face for the answer.

"There are a few reasons for the world tour. Let me start with this, last night I was offered a choice." Javin flung his arms behind his head and stretched himself out lying down on the picnic blanket.

"A choice?" Melinda prompted him anxiously to continue.

"Yes, a choice. You see as the demon that I am, as the member of the academy that I am, I exist as a young man forever. I've been around for many centuries, I've seen many cultures and people created and extinguished though I rarely remember the whole of my experience. I exist differently than most immortals, because I exist in an eternal youth. Youth needs a variety of things to stay young, innocence is key and lack of experience so every few years I drink from the fountain and reduce my age and forget my experiences. On some level I remember everything, but it is quite distant and remote and only comes back as I age all over again. But the point is, that this is my existence. I don't often have memories that span a lifetime because I do not remember being younger than 12 and I have never been older than 21." Javin explained his voice keeping in a perfect rhythm to Melinda's breathing. At the pause, Melinda stopped breathing making the young demon's lip curl into a smile.

"You can then understand why having memories of you when you were young, of Chris, of Wyatt and of myself in that picture was so amazing to me. It created a world unlike my own and so much better than my own. For all that youth changes constantly it often reminds the same, we are always against the grain, liberal or conservative depending on the decade. We rebel and we challenge and we live like we are never going to die, that is what youth does. But to grow old, what a marvelously different concept… " Javin trailed off in thought.

"The choice?" Melinda choked suddenly.

"Yes, sorry. Eternity makes you thoughtful. Tolliver has died and he was our headmaster of sorts. So Anka and Kron,"

"Who and who?" Melinda looked stunned at the use of names she didn't recognize.

"The essences of youth. Kron was the tall blond that helped you understand the power tap in which you stood?" Javin waved his hand as he explained. Melinda nodded setting down her empty salad bowl and nestling down to lie down next to Javin.

"They presented me with a choice. I could become the new leader of the Academy, remaining young though never aging as Tolliver did because that is what corrupted him. Or I could leave my immortal youthful existence and remain with you and yours in the world which they had created in my memories." Javin sighed as he shut his eyes. Melinda was tense as he said the choice. Because from somewhere in the middle of the explanation the young woman had anticipated this would be the choice. It was in her opinion the classic real boy story that came from such narratives. They were silent for only seconds but the heavy weight of the soundless conversation made Melinda fidget uncomfortably.

"What did you decide?" She asked. Javin's eyes fluttered opened suddenly.

"Oh you know what I decided." He smiled sadly as he sat up now bringing her with him.

"I don't…" Melinda started. But Javin shook his head now jumping to his feet and puling her up.

"Of course you do, you know me as well as I know you. Chris will know my choice as well as soon as he hears the story." Javin smiled.

"You will stay with your academy then?" Melinda swallowed. Javin nodded.

"But why?" Melinda started again. Javin laughed.

"The memories which were implanted in me made me realize the importance of loyalty and of family. I have been with these five other demons since the beginning of my existence. We are for all intensive purposes a family and now I have to take responsibility for them. I learned that from the Halliwells and I will not soon forget the lesson. Though I think it did belong to my nature even before I meet you people." Javin started dancing with Melinda.

"But what about…" Melinda started again.

"The world tour?" Javin laughed again. Melinda nodded as she tried to keep time with his steps and suddenly spins and twirls.

"I wanted you to understand something before I possibly never see you again." Javin spun her around once before snapping his fingers to pick up the picnic and then dipping her in his arms.

"What is that?" Melinda asked him smiling despite the news that he would be disappearing. It was hard not to grin back at someone who was laughing.

"It's about power, love and family." Javin winked at her before wrapping his arms around her once again and transporting her again. The two appeared on the tips of cliffs above crashing waves.

"Where?" Melinda started.

"It doesn't matter this time." Javin held her tightly in his hug, standing behind her as she stared out into the ocean.

"You are the weak link in the Halliwell youth darling. Not because you aren't powerful, because believe me you are extremely powerful. But because you try to exist outside your magic, you are unlike Wyatt and Chris. Your brothers have never denied their magic and their magic is as much a part of who they are as their eye colors. But you, you resist it and fight it at every turn." Javin's tone was lecturing.

"But Patricia thinks like I do!" Melinda protested.

"Ah, but Patricia has Pandora. The twins will always balance each other while you my young dove are a lone problem. Your brothers depend on each other greatly for their balance and yes they will protect you, cajole you, and chastise you whenever necessary but it is hard for them to understand your rejection of something that is so integral to each of them." Javin nudged her with his nose before he spoke again.

"So that covers power, do not be afraid of yours and do not disown it. You are a Halliwell witch, a child of a charmed one! Just because you aren't part white lighter, or part elder, or twice blessed does not make you any less valuable to the mix though you might think it does." Javin warned and Melinda shifted uncomfortably at how well Jain understood her.

"All right so power, what about the other two smarty pants?" Melinda asked.

"Love for your family is important, love for yourself is important, and love in general is really important. You are a Halliwell witch and thus might encounter some hardship in love, which believe me when I tell you if I could prevent it I would. But alas I do not hold that type of power." Javin laughed. "And so I wanted to apologize for the precedent I am setting."

"That whole falling in love with a demon and being doomed precedent you mean?" Melinda sighed sarcastically.

"Exactly." Javin chuckled.

"That explains the doomed lovers reference in Verona." Melinda nodded.

"Ah my pet, all the locations we visited are invested in my three lessons, power, love and family. And so brings us to family, you're family also brings you power and love. They are the foundation on which everything else rests and no matter how much they get under your skin, you need them and they need you. It is a key factor to never forget." Javin spun her around to face him now.

"You brought me on a world tour to lecture me then?" Melinda scowled at him.

"I brought you on a world tour because I'm young and believe in grand gestures to prove points. Also because I wanted to spend the afternoon with you and because what better way to say Good-bye than on the very cliff which Tristan last kissed Isuelt." Javin leaned forward to kiss Melinda but the girl stopped him.

"Didn't they die in England?" Melinda asked.

"Oh stop being such a smart ass, I might have made that part up. But some famous couple that you might have heard of did part on this cliff, I just don't remember them right now." Javin growled at her as he pressed his lips on hers. Melinda closed her eyes accepting all the fears, passions, anxieties and revelations that Javin transferred to her in their one kiss. Opening her eyes she found herself standing in a very crowded middle school hallway again, completely alone and surrounded all at the same time.

"Mels! Can you believe that we have detention all week! I mean seriously, being evil did not have its pay offs. Couldn't we just maybe cast a tiny memory spell of some kind to get out of it…" Dora had swung up behind Melinda and spat out her thoughts very rapidly.

"No, no more magic. And personal gain." Tricia came up on the other side of Melinda touting her rules first sermon.

"What do you think Melinda, is it really personal gain?" Dora asked.

"I, well, I, what time is it?" Melinda asked in a daze.

"The last period of the day just ended, we have detention now." Dora explained slowly with a twinge of sarcasm.

"Right," Melinda lifted her hand to her face to rub her eyes and found a little not inside her palm. Taking it with her other hand she unfolded it to find written neatly in the middle of the paper.

_Power. Family. Love. Try not to remember me, but if you must always know where to look for me. _

She stared at the words and started giggling uncontrollably. Penelope met up with the twins and Melinda outside of the detention room. She exchanged puzzled glances with the twins who just shrugged and shook their heads.

"Melinda?" Penelope questioned.

"All day, but I'm back for detention. Stupid youth, needed to learn about consequences." Melinda giggled shaking her head as she walked into the room refolding her note carefully.

In the parking lot of George Washington High School, Dervin Rogers had parked his car next to the now very familiar Halliwell Brothers jeep. The senior had ducked out of his last class and snuck away to wait in his car. He had been waiting to speak to Patience all day, but they had yet had an opportunity. The young man had plenty of questions for the young witch that had yet to be answered. The night before Kyle Broody had left him with his foster family, doing some kind of hocus pocus which explained away his accident and disappearance to his foster parents. But the white lighter had not used the same magic on Dervin himself. Kyle had suggested it might still happen that his memory would be erased but that some decisions had to be made before it was finally decided. A tap at his window brought the young man out of his thoughts of the previous days events. Turning his head he caught sight of two twinkling pink eyes above flushed cheeks. Chuckling to himself the young man rolled down his window.

"Aren't you suppose to hide your magic from normal folk?" Dervin asked of the young woman standing at his window.

"Yes, she is." Cole growled from behind Patience, though of course Dervin didn't hear it.

"What are you now? A magic expert?" Patience laughed at him as she bent down and fixed her ponytail in his mirror.

"Hey now I've watched the movie Witches at least a dozen times. And you know all those old Sabrina the Teenage Witch episodes." He laughed at her.

"Witches?" Patience lifted one eyebrow as she studied his face.

"You know that really old movie with Angelica Houston and the witches that turn kids into mice? It was based off of the book." Dervin tried explaining.

"It was a good book. I read that one rather recently, not reading much when I was demon of the century it was written in." Cole commented from beside Patience, though she was still ignoring him.

"Have you seen anything in pop culture about witches that was made in this century?" Patience asked. Dervin shrugged leaning over his door and looking up at Patience who leaned against his mustang.

"I'm not really an up-to-date person. I watched and read whatever I could get my hands on in the system, usually hand me downs. So you know. At least my only knowledge doesn't come from the Crucible. Arthur Miller's poignant tale of the Salem witch trials would be worse than the bubble gum pop portrayal of Melissa Joan Hart." Dervin pushed open his door.

"Now you sound like a entertainment critic. I think you've been reading too much." Patience giggled.

"Maybe you should read more." He suggested leaned forward and pushing a stray hair out of her face.

"He might have a point Patience." Cole agreed.

"Shut up Cole." Patience gritted her teeth as she mumbled to him. "You're ok with this then?" Patience whispered now to Dervin.

"With you standing there and me sitting here, its like an ocean is in-between us." Dervin inched his way towards her slowly placing his arm around her waist.

"That's not what I meant." She frowned at him, though she responded by sitting herself on the ledge of the doorway. There was now no room in-between the two teens.

"Did you cast a spell on me?" Dervin whispered leaning his cheek onto her cheek.

"No. We can't really do that, not without personal gain consequences." Patience tried to explain though she was finding it hard to breathe.

"And you're not like actually a hundred and seven or something like that?" Dervin asked tucking his free arm under her knees and swiftly pulling the girl up into his lap.

"Nope, just a little fourteen year old. Almost fifteen though." Patience swallowed now not being able to resist any longer, she pressed her lips onto Dervin's.

The parking lot started filling up now with more students heading out. Wyatt, Chris and Henry still not really speaking saw Dervin and Patience and immediately quicken their pace to the car.

"The boys are here." Cole warned Patience. She pulled herself away from Dervin a bit but when she tried to stand he refused to allow it.

"What exactly were you doing there with my younger cousin?" Wyatt demanded of Dervin coming up first.

"I would have thought you would recognize the behavior, with your ladies man reputation." Dervin rolled his eyes. He let go of Patience, allowing her to stand up and giving him the ability to stand as well.

"Are you sure they were talking about Wy?" Chris laughed from behind his older brother.

"Shut up." Wyatt shoved his little brother in the shoulder. "You and I have enough to fight about later, let's not add you mocking my love life too it. Not like you are one to talk."

"Hey I'm a baseball player, I've got girls lining up for miles." Chris stuck his tongue out. It was the first time all day that the brothers had spoken to each other, and the banter was still normal even in their spiteful state.

"Oh yeah cause as a football player, I don't have the same problem?" Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Oh boys?" Patience sighed. She stood tall next to Dervin, though the senior was at least a head taller than her. She had her hand curled into his hand as she spoke and her eyes flashed purple.

"I was only kidding about being allowed to kill me yesterday, well I mean. You could if it was a life or death situation again, but you know dating your cousins hardly constitutes as a…" Dervin was saying. Wyatt's eyebrows creased in worry and Chris exchanged knowing glances with Henry.

"So what are we doing about this exposure problem? I can get some dust?" Wyatt asked. Patience clutched at Dervin and pulled herself in front of him protectively.

"No. No dust!! No memory dust!" She stomped her foot angrily.

"Not so loud." Chris hissed looking around the crowded parking lot.

"Patience, we can't let him kept the memories about what happened. We have to think about exposure, we can't risk it." Wyatt shook his head.

"I would never tell anyone about you guys." Dervin interjected.

"Would you even know what to tell anyone?" Chris' eyebrow shot up questioningly. Dervin pursed his lips in thought for a moment and shrugged.

"Patience is a witch. Apparently so are the rest of you. Magic exists. But witches are good, demon dudes not so good." Dervin shrugged. "I didn't get many more of the details."

"Demon dudes?" Wyatt frowned.

"You kids are talking awfully openly about this in a public place." Cole warned the group.

"We're talking about a game or a book to anyone who is even bothering to pay attention." Young Henry shrugged.

"You mustn't be so careless with this secret." Cole warned watching around the young teens making sure that no one was actually listening to the conversation in great detail.

"You can't erase his memory! You can't, I don't want you too. I've wanted to tell him for weeks. Chris, you know! He's been totally helpful to us." Patience begged her cousin, her constant protector. Chris was as much Patience's older brother as he was Melinda's.

"Wyatt," Chris started breaking under the girl's stare.

"The aunts and mom are not going to allow him to know." Wyatt shook his head.

"Maybe you shouldn't get involved." Cole suggested focusing on a girl who had stopped walking and looked over to the group. It only took a few seconds for Cole to realize it was because the girl was ogling over the Halliwell brothers.

"Well, you know with the strange need to go running around spying on her sister and cousins. And then Chris always showing up in places." Dervin frowned nodding.

"Were you orb-whatever-ing? Is that how you got places so fast?'

"Orbbing. It's called orbbing." Chris rolled his eyes as he nodded. Wyatt glared at him.

"Seriously?" Cole commented again.

"We shouldn't be talking about this here. Maybe we can discuss this later?" Wyatt growled at his brother and cousins.

"Wyatt is right, of course. Unless you guys can do one of those muffling conversation spells like in Harry Potter?" Dervin asked. The charmed children gave him an incredulous shared look that he understood to mean no.

"We don't use wands." Henry provided as an explanation.

"Right. Well, this is a big secret. Not a good idea to talk about it in a crowded parking lot." Dervin nodded and pecked Patience on the cheek before ducking back into his car.

"Wyatt?" Patience whined.

"You are not going home with him." Wyatt shook his head resolutely.

"But no dust?" She begged.

"Patience." Wyatt said through gritted teeth storming to the jeep.

"Don't push him today Pat." Chris shook his head following Wyatt.

"Come on," Henry grabbed the girl's elbow and pulled her away from Dervin who was winking at her. Dervin started his car and drove away before Wyatt even had his seatbelt on. Wyatt flipped the radio of the car on as he started backing out.

"Well that means we're not talking again." Patience rolled her eyes.

"Well I can talk, he can't hear me." Cole leaned forward to be closer to Chris.

"Cole, stop being difficult." Patience whispered irately at the spirit.

"Me being difficult she says. Chris, you must talk to your cousin about reversing her spell to see me." Cole suggested. Chris sat up and peeked at Patience, his green eyes questioned her without a word.

"I don't see why I have to, won't he just disappear when the spell has played out." Patience grumbled.

"She might be right." Henry whispered nodding.

"What are you three whispering about?" Wyatt turned down the volume of the radio.

"Nothing." Henry automatically responded.

""We were talking about whether or not Patience should…" Chris started annoyed.

"Buy you a movie or maybe something different this year…" Patience glared at the back of Christopher's head.

"You were talking about my birthday presents?" Wyatt sounded suspicious as he glanced over at his younger brother. Chris was sitting slightly slouched, with his arms crossed.

"Well the whole world does revolve around you." Chris muttered.

"Sometimes you are really as young as you look." Cole shook his head sitting back again.

"Yes!" Patience said loudly hoping that Wyatt would ignore Chris. "After all, we are having that fancy party for you at P3. Aren't you excited?"

Wyatt shrugged turning the radio back up again. Patience let out a sigh of relief and kicked at the back of Chris chair to make sure he understood how upset she was with him. Henry hid a laugh with a cough as the car was again filled with a tense silence among family members.

"Halliwells." Cole shook his head as Wyatt pulled up to the curb in front of Patience's apartment building.

"Chris and Henry can orb to magic school upstairs?" Wyatt asked Patience. Patience shrugged.

"I don't care." She responded like a classic teenager. Wyatt rolled his crystal blue eyes stopping on the side-glance at his brother.

"Straight to Magic School. I don't have to orb you myself do I?" Wyatt demanded.

"I don't want to go to Magic School. I don't want to talk to dad." Chris spat stubbornly. Henry and Patience slipped out of the car quietly not wanting to be part of another argument.

"Thanks for siding with me about Cole." Patience smiled at Henry.

"You're wrong. You are going to have to reverse the spell." Cole argued.

"Well, I mean she cast the spell to help with the Dervin situation. You don't think that aunt Phoebe warmed up to Dervin? I mean he was willing to die for the family, that's a pretty big leap for a guy." Henry asked Cole.

"I think if that was the case, I would have become invisible to you all yesterday." Cole pointed out.

"You think once Patience can't see you, neither will we?" Henry asked intrigued by what the old spirit demon understood of magic. Cole nodded.

"Damn it Chris!" Wyatt's voice thundered out onto the sidewalk.

"Maybe we should help?" Henry asked.

"Go for it, I'm not getting involved. Those two have been getting ready to explode all day." Patience held up her hands defensively.

"Fine." Chris jumped out of the car and slammed the door forcefully. He reached out and grabbed Henry and the two orbed from the sidewalk without another glance towards the twice blessed. One of the jeep windows popped open and Patience could only guess the power that Wyatt was controlling to not make the whole car explode.

"See you later Wy!" Patience wave before scurrying away as fast as she could. Cole followed behind her closely and quietly. He watched as Patience dropped all her school items near the door before walking into the kitchen. He stood perfectly still next to the counter as she made herself a snack and ate it. He didn't speak again until she kicked off her sneakers and threw herself on the couch to watch television.

"Patience?" He sighed.

"Yes, Cole?" She responded without looking at him.

"Why don't you want to reverse the spell?" He asked, perching himself on the edge of the couch. Patience didn't remove her eyes from the screen as she yawned.

"I like talking to you." She finally provided flipping through a series of music channels.

"You have plenty of real people to talk to." Cole pointed out.

"But you're like a walking talking conscience, history book, and magical reference. And you're romantic, and you're always there." Patience bite down on her bottom lip nervously. Cole remained quiet for a few more minutes.

"You should nap, you're clearly tired." He finally suggested. She sat up now and frowned at him in confusion.

"But…" She yawned again.

"I'll read you the next scene of Romeo and Juliet." He suggested. She didn't argue at all with this idea. She turned off the television and skipped to her room.

In a small office crowded with filing cabinets, bookcases, flowers and picture frames on opposite sides of an antique desk sat Piper and Wyatt Halliwell. Piper was scribbling in red pen over the recently passed Valentine's Day Menu while Wyatt quietly and begrudgingly stabbed his fork into a fruit tart.

"Sweetheart, you can stop pretending you don't like the tart. I know it's your favorite." Piper sighed looking up from the menu. Wyatt rolled his eyes letting out a breath of air through his gritted teeth. Piper's eyebrow shot up at him as she watched him tap the fork impatiently against the plate. She let her eyes wander her desk to a picture of Wyatt as an infant wrapped in a powder blue blanket that she remembered well.

"This picture was taken over seventeen years ago." Piper flipped the frame around to show her grown son he hadn't always been so big.

"Mom," Wyatt whined. "You aren't going to get all teary eyes because I'm turning 18 tomorrow…"

"Look here mister, I'm the one that carried you for nine months…" Piper started.

"And had to deal with demons and deliver me on the table in the dining room, I know the story mom." Wyatt groaned but as Piper gave him a sharp glare he quickly added. "I'm incredibly grateful for such an awesome mom though."

"That was not what I was going to talk about though that is some Chris-worthy kissing up." Piper laughed setting down her pen.

"Yeah, too bad he's not really talking to me enough for me to tell him about it." Wyatt retorted.

"Wyatt honey, you have to try to talk to him. You know how I feel about you boys fighting." Piper said sternly.

"Yeah and now I understand why we were always grounded indefinitely for fighting with each other when we were younger." Wyatt stared at his mother questioningly.

"And I will continue to ground both of you until you learn to stop fighting with each other." Piper nodded.

"Mom, I'm turning 18." Wyatt warned.

"Yes well we'll revisit that idea soon." Piper shrugged. Wyatt could see that his mother was going to have to get use to the idea that he was by all measures of the law basically an adult, except for that whole being in high school thing.

"So, are you going to explain?" Wyatt prompted his mother as he picked up the framed picture of himself as a baby.

"A few months after this picture was taken, during the time the Titans were causing all sorts of havoc." Piper started.

"When you were made into a Goddess and Dad became an Elder?" Wyatt clarified.

"Are you telling the story or am I?" Piper demanded.

"Sorry." He muttered. The tall blond leaned back in his chair making himself comfortable.

"Like I said, seventeen years ago…" Piper's voice started in perfect tune with her husband's far away at magic school.

Unlike the cordial scene between mother and first-born, Leo was having trouble controlling his slightly more rebellious son. Chris was slouching down in a chair in front of his father's desk, with his feet kicked up onto the desk nonchalantly.

"An alternate version of you came through a portal and saved your aunt Paige from being killed by the Titans." Leo said slowly. Chris suddenly had more interest in the story than he had seemed to have only a few seconds before.

"I saved Aunt Paige?" He asked. "Without anyone's help?"

"Chris, we don't always think you need help. Now let me tell you this story, it's going to take forever if you interrupt." Leo sighed. Chris slouched back down and crossed his arms as if daring his father to surprise him. As the story continued, not only was Chris more than a bit surprised but so was his older brother. Piper explained how Excalibur came to sit in the Manor's living room and how the first time Wyatt used it he had been too young to speak. Leo painfully gave a recount of how Chris had been sneaky and manipulative and the sisters as well as himself had not trusted him. Piper gave Wyatt the details on his alternate younger brother's engagement to a phoenix witch. Wyatt tried to keep a straight face when it dawned on him the similarities between this future witch and the girl in the bar. For whatever gut reason, Leo skirted around the engagement details. But he did paced around his office, sharing glances with a sympathetic Prue, when reliving the memory of how Chris died saving Wyatt from Gideon.

"So you're little brother was born on the same day he died. But the future has changed since then. You, Chris and Melinda were saved. That is why I don't allow fighting between my boys, because in a future we fixed you boys almost kill each other." Piper nodded. Wyatt was starring at his shoes, shifting in his chair uncomfortably. Piper got up to walk around her desk and stand right in front of Wyatt. She bent down and cupped his chin in her hand.

"Wyatt?' She asked him. His blue eyes were slightly teary as he looked into his mother's brown eyes.

"When you made us shake hands and sent us to our rooms, every time you looked so hurt. Was it because you were still worried this was going to happen?" Wyatt asked. Piper shrugged.

"I worry a lot." She replied not letting go of his chin. "Those things weren't things that you have ever done and you never will."

Wyatt shook his head agreeing with his mother. Now both brothers understood the vision that the demons had shown them just the day before.

"So I've already died?' Chris asked sitting up completely, dropping his legs from the desk.

"Futures change." Prue inserted quickly. "Constantly."

"But," Chris argued. "I've already died. And I traveled back when I was 21, when I lived in P3. Then I died. Doesn't that mean that I have to go back,"

"No." Leo said sternly. "No. It doesn't. You are not going to die when you are 23. And because of how time travel works you do not need to go back, because it's already happened and that alternate future has already changed." Leo tried to explain. Chris didn't look like he was buying the explanation at all.

"I went to the future once. I was blonde, which was weird. But more importantly you're mom and dad were divorced, Wyatt and you didn't exist but Melinda did. Oh, and you know you're Aunt Phoebe was getting burned at the stake. Obviously, since I'm dead and there are no stakes burning witches the future changes." Prue said from her couch.

"You were blonde?" Chris frowned looking over at Prue. Leo shook his head because the similarities between his son and his sister-in-law were incredible on occasion.

"You understand that everything you saw and just heard about wasn't your or Wyatt's fault." Leo bent down to look Chris in the eye. Chris pushed out his chin defiantly for a second as if trying to figure out how to blame the entire situation on his know-it-all older brother.

"Is this why there was a ban on the attic and mom flips a lid whenever I try a time traveling spell?" Chris demanded. Leo rolled his eyes.

"Yes. Your alternate future self was a tad bit careless with the time travel your mother and myself might have been worried about your tendencies. I can see we weren't completely wrong." Leo's eyes wandered over to Prue again. Prue laughed pushing the hair out of her eyes while still focusing on the 16 year old in the room.

A black cloud puffed behind Chris where Javin suddenly appeared. He was dressed in a classic black blazer, a fancy red t-shirt and lighter colored jeans.

"You aren't allowed in here, you're a demon." Chris jumped from his chair ready to fight.

"Anka transported me here." Javin held up his hands innocently.

"Who?" Chris and Prue said in unison.

"Anka is the female essence of youth. She is elegantly Egyptian, darker skin with sparkling green eyes." Leo explained.

"That's a lot about her looks…" Prue frowned at him.

"It has nothing to do with Leo, it's how everyone describes her." Javin shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Chris frowned as he titled his head sideways to study Javin, recognizing his friend's body language as something that he had done for years.

"Why are you here?" Chris demanded eyes squinting.

"I needed to talk to you." Javin said his eyes actually pleading with the older Halliwell in the room. Leo was shaking his head with a fatherly authority he rarely used.

"Absolutely not. You two were trouble in the false memories I have of you two, there is no way I'm letting him go off with you now that we know you're a demon." Leo's arms crossed over his robed chest.

"Mr. Wyatt, I need to talk to Chris. Please?" The young man begged not even looking for Chris' response.

"I don't want to talk to you." Chris interjected. "And I don't need to."

Prue rested her head on her arms over the back of the couch she had been sitting on. She studied the situation in front of her and the body language coming from all the males in the room.

"So how exactly is it that you are in so many memories involving Chris? I mean that's true isn't it, the family remembers you as Chris' best friend?" Prue asked.

Javin rolled on his heels as he tried to decide whether or not he should explain. He took a deep breath that filled his checks with air and made him look much younger all of a sudden.

"They are actually things that happened to Chris, sometimes he was alone and sometimes he got into trouble with different kids here and there. The thing is that Chris has never had a long term friend." Javin tried to explain. This statement compelled Chris to need to speak to Javin now.

"Dad?" Chris tried his persuading methods.

"Your mother would not be pleased." Leo argued.

"But dad, I think I might need to do this." Chris retorted back. Leo's gaze bounced back and forth between the two young people for a moment.

"I'll bring him back to the manor before sunset, which is in…" Javin glanced down at his wrist. " One hour, twelve minutes and 36 seconds."

"Smart ass much?" Prue frowned at him.

"Well, I have my own curfew to following tonight." Javin shrugged.

"Dad?' Chris' voice was steady but dripped with an attitude that he was owed this moment. After so many secrets, after the demon fights, and the continuous grounded state he had been in. Chris did feel like he not only needed this moment of freedom but also deserved it. Leo tapped his fingers against his bent arm for a second thinking over the situation.

"The moment I call, you get back to the manor." Leo pointed at his nodding son.

"Of course," Chris jumped over to Javin excitedly. "Where to?"

"Oh, you'll see." Javin smiled mischievously as he clasped his arm around his friend's shoulders.

"Christopher! One call!" Leo warned after the boys that dissolved into swirling smoke. The young men reappeared under blinding sunlight pounding onto them and radiating from where they landed. Chris squinted his eyes trying hard to make out where exactly Javin had taken them. Javin snapped his fingers and a pair of shades appeared over Chris' struggling green eyes.

"What exactly are your powers?" Chris asked.

"Watch your step." Javin warned as he sat down on the curved white roof they were sitting on, looking out onto the ocean.

"Where are we? And what are we doing?" Chris demanded again slightly stumbling until Javin pulled him down to sit.

"You should learn to enjoy things for what they are, patience is a virtue the entire Halliwell clan would do well with learning." Javin snickered. Chris rested on his elbows, taking a deep breath as he looked out onto the ocean. He removed his sunglasses for a moment as he scanned his surroundings in a quick sweep.

"Australia?" He questioned.

"We're sitting on top of the Sydney Opera House." Javin nodded snapping his fingers making two snack lunches appear.

"Exposure issue much?" Chris frowned taking the bag.

"Nope. No one will see us from the ground from where we are sitting, and planes are flying too high to see us from the sky. So we're completely safe and where else would we sit with such an awesome view?" Javin pulled out a dark bottle from his sack, a root beer.

"Why did we come here?" Chris asked suspiciously not opening his own bag. A slow smile crossed over Javin's face as he flicked his finger to bring the bottle out of Chris' bag into the other teen's hand.

"I thought it would be a good place for lunch." Javin shrugged holding out his open bottle to clink with his friend. Chris frowned but held it out.

"To right now." Javin laughed.

"And to all our future mischief." Chris nodded taking a sip out of his own bottle. The two were silent under the gleaming sun of the Australian sky. Until Chris finally set down his bottle and licked his lips calmly.

"There won't be any more future mischief for us?" Chris asked.

"You're plenty of mischief on your own, you've also got that big brother of yours. You two are each others actual best friends." Javin commented.

"Wyatt doesn't understand me." Chris shook his head. "Every memory I've had of you?"

"They are actual memories, you were really that much of a handful." Javin chuckled grabbing a cold piece of pepperoni pizza out of the bag. "You're favorite." He added softly.

"But did I actually do all those things alone?" Chris dug into his bag looking for his pizza excitedly.

"No. Actually you've always been a charmer. Good at making friends, bad at keeping them." Javin sighed. "Bad at keeping the ones that follow you through life, but the thing is that you don't need them. None of you do, you have enough family to only ever need one lifetime friend."

"One?" Chris bounced the bottle cap of his root beer in and out of his fingers.

"Yes. Of course, you need love. It might not come easy for a troublesome guy like you though." Javin flicked his finger at Chris' shoulder.

"So why are we here?" Chris asked again.

"Lunch." Javin winked.

"Come on?" Chris rolled his eyes.

"I thought it would be nice to have lunch, like we use to when we'd ditch school together." Javin shrugged.

"We never did that though." Chris pointed out.

"No, but we both think we did. Besides why ruin those great memories with the fact that they didn't happen. How did you take the news that you saved your entire family?" Javin asked.

"How do you know that?" Chris' eyes flashed angrily at Javin.

"I'm a demon that has been around for a very long time. I know about the history." Javin shrugged. "But we're not talking about me right now. We're talking about you."

"Seeing that one glimpse of that past and other future. I suddenly have all these memories that I don't remember coming to me." Chris started slowly.

"It's a transference thing that magic sometimes does. You might be getting them for years before you can piece together everything, if you are even ever able to." Javin explained.

"I saved the most magical being to ever be on earth from destroying everything he loves and everything I love." Chris whispered. He was sitting up with his knees drawn up and his arms were wrapped around his leg cautiously protecting himself. A silent conversation took place, the sort that is only possible between the kindred spirits of friends that understood each other's breathing. Chris closed his eyes and tried to pace his breathing, trying to keep from having a panic attack. As his friend's breathing became rhythmic again, Javin started tapping his fingers against the building.

"You know that if this Sydney Opera House wouldn't be recognized around the world if it was just one arch. I mean what would be important about one arch?" Javin asked. Chris started choking up laughter.

"Are you giving me an object lecture?" Chris demanded hoping to his feet. Javin rolled his eyes standing up now to match Chris eyes with his own dark orbs.

"Sometimes that's what it takes with your thick skull." Javin laughed.

"What about you?" Chris demanded now starring out onto the ocean again as he asked the question the two had been avoiding.

"I was given an option." Javin responded. Each boy stood with their legs slightly apart and their arms crossed starring out at the ocean rather than each other.

"What was it?" Chris asked.

"Mortal and Halliwells. Or immortality, powers and family." Javin sighed. Chris nodded and in a swift movement the young man turned and faced his friend with the full force of his determined face.

"We will see each other again?" He asked as he held out his hand.

"You are going to get older and I'm going to get younger." Javin pointed out not willing to shake hands just yet.

"You get to keep the memories?" Chris demanded. Javin nodded.

"Well then once and always. I feel like I might be growing up to fast, I'm sure you'll help that?" Chris smiled. Javin laughed and shook the boy's hand. Chris didn't say good-bye, a tradition that the boy had long since dismissed because he didn't believe in bidding farewell.

"Stay out of trouble my friend." Javin nodded shimmering out. No hard feelings were kept between either friend because both went their ways to their families, which is why they got along.

The entire Halliwell line was sitting in the dining room and conservatory. The adults were all at one table with Prue, Wyatt and Patience while the younger children were all at the table in the conservatory. Piper had outdone herself for the evening's dinner making all of Prue and Wyatt's favorites. Henry was laughing at a story that Melinda was telling about being in detention. While Wyatt was nervously twitching his leg as Coop was explaining about how his couples were faring after the whirlwind of Valentine's Day had cooled down.

"Dad, maybe I should go looking for him now?" Wyatt asked for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes. As Leo had suspected Chris had not orbed back when he had been called and thus had not arrived for dinner yet. Piper had remained completely calm about the situation and refused to let Wyatt go looking for her lost son.

"Wyatt, stop it. You would feel if there was something wrong with Chris. Maybe he just needed some time." Piper commanded.

"Hey Piper can you pass Phoebe some of that off hands parenting corn?" Paige held out her hand.

"Maybe Henry can share his secret recipe for staying out of other people's business chicken?" Phoebe scrunched her nose lovingly at her younger sister.

"That chicken wouldn't work for a Halliwell anyway." Henry shook his head smiling at his wife.

"Oh, someone's feeling witty and confident down there." Piper laughed at her brother-in-law.

"What you going to turn him into a toad too Piper?" Leo slipped his hand into his wife's. He was also trying to remain calm, but the father much like Wyatt was desperately worried about his son. As the grandfather clock struck 7:15, Chris orbed into the foyer.

"Christopher?" Leo's voice sounded clearly over the clanking of dishes and giggling of younger cousins. Chris ran his hand over his forehead and pushed back his hair nervously. The boy was use to his mother's neurotic anger but when Leo had reached boiling point, it was a whole different ball game. Clearly his throat as he pushed his hands into his pockets and strolling into the dining room giving his entire family one of his classic smiles.

"Evening family." He forced a wave at the group.

"Chris, I asked you to come home when I called." Leo said sternly. Before Chris could answer his father though Piper had stood up and clapped her hands.

"Just who we've been waiting for, we need to get Prue back to her own time. Though I love having you here sis." Piper smiled down the table at Prue who was sitting next to Patience.

"Mom, can I maybe have some of that pineapple upside down cake?" Chris wondered.

"Maybe you should have gotten here on time." Piper shook her head walking over to her son and leading him out of the room.

"You boys all right cleaning up some of this?" Paige smiled at her husband and brothers-in-law as she pushed herself up from the table. Phoebe also stood up from her seat next to Coop moving towards Piper. Prue stood up last and the slowest looking around at all the faces around the warm table. Patience smiled at her aunt and jumped up to give her a hug.

"Thanks for everything Aunt Prue." She sighed into the woman's ear. Prue nodded hugging the young girl back. Cole was in Prue's line of sight and he mouthed something to Prue before she let go of Patience.

"Listen to him, don't try to out smart the magic." Prue whispered to her oldest niece. The rest of the farewells were just as heartfelt and hard on Prue as the first had been. It wasn't until she reached the much older looking Leo that she started to lose her cool.

"Everything happens for a reason?' Prue asked her old white lighter. Leo took a deep breath and nodded, not saying a word as he gave her a hug.

"I'm going to help." Wyatt said before Prue could try to say good-bye to him. He held out his arm for his aunt as he walked up to the attic with her.

"You've lifted the protection enchantment then so that I can actually cast a time travel spell?" Chris asked his mother.

"Yes we did young man, and I don't appreciate the attitude about that." Piper wagged a finger in his face. "After I just saved you from a lecture with your father I thought you might be nicer to me."

"Sorry mom." Chris muttered walking over to the Book of Shadows to find the spell he needed. He was surprised his mother didn't hover over him during the process instead she stood to one side with Paige and Phoebe. Prue and Wyatt walked in together as Chris found the spell in the book.

Patience, meanwhile, had excused herself from the table and wandered upstairs. She quietly ducked into Chris' room being closely followed by her ghostly shadow, Cole.

"I'm going to miss you." Patience sighed as she started searching for candles she knew Chris had hidden around his room. The middle Halliwell was sneaky about practicing spells and always kept extra Wiccan materials tucked away.

"You know I'm still going to be here." Cole explained.

"But I won't be able to talk to you." Patience whined as she pulled out two candles from behind Chris bed. "God, he should really clean behind here sometimes."

"You will be able to talk to me, you just won't always been able to hear my response." Cole argued back. Patience pouted as she magically lit her candles on Chris desk.

The charmed ones and twice blessed child stood around Prue, in front of Chris and the book of shadows. Prue hugged Paige first, smiling the dimpled family grin at her youngest sister.

"You've filled my shoes just great. Made my baby sisters grow up good and quick." She commended. Paige flipped her hair nonchalantly as she pulled away from the embrace.

"Well, sometimes I got it. It only took me twenty years to fill your shoes, you left some pretty big ones for me." Paige laughed. Prue nodded and turned to face Phoebe. Phoebe's let tears escape her as she stared at her older sister seeing a face of radiant pride that had never rested on Prue's face before.

"My little sister the super-witch. You brought the magic back into this family both times we needed it I see. I'm so proud of you." Prue held Phoebe tightly.

"Oh I'm still a screw up." Phoebe choked. Prue winked at her before turning to look at Piper. Piper was going to be the hardest and both were trying very hard to stay composed. Throwing her arms around Piper without saying another word, Prue let the tears stream down her face for a moment.

"I will always be with you." Prue whispered before prying Piper's arms away from her. Taking a deep breath, Prue strode over to Wyatt and grabbed the young man's hands in her own.

"I wanted to wish you a happy birthday darling nephew. And I leave you with this little bit of wisdom, be good to your younger siblings. Be nice to them and remember you need them as much as they need you. But above all be nice, they might outlive you." Prue gave her sisters a sad smile as she kissed Wyatt on the check. Wyatt nodded and muttered a yes ma'am. Last but not least, Prue walked over to Chris and smiled.

"Thanks for believing me Aunt Prue." Chris smiled at her. "Sorry, I pulled you out of your life and brought you here."

"Chris, Chris, Chris." Prue patted him on the shoulder softly. "Listen to your big brother, he's just trying to protect you. Believe me you mean the world to him. And kid, try not to get too caught up in the demon fight." She smiled at him giving him a small peck on the check before walking back into the middle. Prue outstretched her hands and clasped them down onto her jean-clad thighs.

"Ready." She smiled at Chris. Chris swallowed looking down at the spell nervously.

"What if I mess it up?" He asked his mother.

"You can do this Chris, just start saying the spell." Wyatt's voice was firm and confident. Chris took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He didn't need to read the spell to say it as Chris had memorized it.

"You're sure that everyone else won't be able to see you anymore either?" Patience asked as she finished writing out the spell. Cole sighed.

"Yes. Once the main magic is broken, the rest will follow."

"And we're sure I have to do this?" Patience looked up pleading.

"Be good to your mother. Be good to yourself." Cole nodded.

"The wisdom that was sought has now been found. Let this loveless spirit rebound. May all that can be seen be made unseen once again, it's time for me to be on my own." Patience chanted and as Cole started dissolving into the background of the room the man smiled at the young girl again.

"I'll be watching, so be good." Cole warned before his handsome face was gone.

" A Time for Everything and to everything it's place. Return what has been moved through time and space." Chris said the words carefully with his aunts, mother and Wyatt all chanting alongside with him. Prue disappeared as easily as she had come into their lives.

"Let's go get you some of that cake before it's all gone." Wyatt tipped his head to the door as he looked at Chris. Chris looked at the spot where Prue had stood for only a moment before he followed Wyatt out of the room. Only the charmed ones were left in the attic, the site of so many of their battles throughout the years.

"He's going to keep being a handful." Phoebe sighed after her nephews.

"Probably a good thing they are both pretty much grounded for the rest of their lives." Paige joked. Piper stared at the book of shadows that was flipping pages magically before her eyes, as she had seen it done thousands of times before. The oldest charmed one walked over to the living breathing family artifact to look at what page it fell open to.

Forgive and Forget. Experience Teaches.

Piper laughed and nodded, closely the book lovingly. She looked up to stare at both her sisters. The three women had changed so much over the last two decades. Piper knew that soon it wouldn't be them standing around this podium, soon it would be her own children and theirs.

"I think we're going to unground them. Forgive everything, start a brand new slate, a birthday gift for both of them." Piper smiled at her sisters.

"You think that's a good idea?" Paige letting her eyebrows crease to demonstrate her disapproval of the plan.

"They have both grown up a lot in the last few days. They all have." Piper suggested as she started towards the door.

"Yeah and it only took all of us, a few white lighters, tons of demons, and some dead relatives to make them grow up." Phoebe smiled.

"Well you know what they say, it takes a village to raise a child. In our case it takes a few people from different time periods and lots of magic." The three sisters came down the stairs of the attics laughing to find their entire family still engaged at the dinner tables.


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

The lights flashed through the dancing and lounging young people. The music was blasting as some obnoxiously loud screamers strummed guitars on stage. As the light shone on Paige's face she mouthed, "I'm too old for this," to her laughing husband. Henry was serving up cold bottles of root beer and water to the hordes of high school juniors and seniors that were trying to make great impressions on their dates. Leo was bustling around behind the bar, wiping down the counter top from the foaming and sticking soda that had been spilled since the night began. He looked up to smile at his wife, who stood with colorful ear plugs near the band making sure that the sound system worked correctly during their performance without having to listen to them. Phoebe and Coop were busy snapping their fingers at couples trying to sneak into the dark nooks and crevices of the club.

A banner hung over the staircase, announcing congratulations to Wyatt Matthew Halliwell on turning 18. The cousins were all wandering around different parts of the clubs, trying to remain out of the grasps of their respective parents. Primrose and Penelope were sitting with Victor at a table in the corner, drinking Shirley temples and playing candy land with their grandfather. Pandora was rocking out front and center to the band that was compromised of two sophomores and a junior drummer. She was back to her old self, wearing a glittering top announcing her love for rocking, rolling peace. Melinda and Patricia sat at one of the high tables, making conversation with some of Chris' baseball playing teammates. Young Henry kept walking by not to discreetly making sure that the boys weren't making any moves towards his sister or cousin. Sam was also keeping himself very close to the young girls and the high school boys. Patience was out on the dance floor being slowly paraded around the other couples in the arms of Dervin Rogers.

Dervin caught sight of a sneaky looking Chris ducking into a door behind the bar, out of sight of any of the adult chaperones in the room. While no one could have been able to tell at the moment, Wyatt was not currently at his own party. Chris had ducked into the little storage room the place where he knew was once his home long before he had been born. Chris quickly slipped his hand into one of the crates and grabbed out to dark bottles. He orbed out of the room without another thought to his surroundings or the party.

High above the city and underneath the dark night blanket of stars and a full moon, on the high beams of the Golden Gate Bridge sat Wyatt Halliwell on the eve of his 18th birthday. Chris appeared behind his brother and kicked out his legs to sit down.

"I brought you a present." Chris handed his older brother the beer he had stolen from their mother's bar. Wyatt looked at the bottle and frowned.

"Before you say anything, it's your 18th birthday. In Europe that's the legal drinking age. I mean we could go there first if you want?" Chris smiled. Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"If that's your logic, am I drinking that one too?" Wyatt demanded taking the bottle from his younger brother and opening it.

"No. I don't mind breaking rules that logic was all for you bro." Chris held out his bottle to clink it with Wyatt's. The boys cheered to each other silently letting all their hopes and dreams for each other be represented through the little action. Taking his first sip of the dark liquor, Wyatt coughed at first.

"I shouldn't…" Wyatt started. But Chris shook his head taking a swig of his own bottle.

"What you doing up here during your own party?" Chris asked. Wyatt didn't answer right away though instead he drank and stared out into the darkness.

"Magic rested for a whole day to prepare for my arrival." Wyatt finally sighed. Awesome, Chris thought, we're going to talk about how powerful he is. But the younger brother kept his mouth shut as he listened to the older boy's worries.

"And as if that wasn't enough pressure, the lady in the water sought mom out to make sure that she took care of the sword. The Sword, Excalibur, maker of kings was for me. And then you, my little brother died saving me from myself." Wyatt's noble face was shadowed with a terrible worry that Chris recognized.

"Wy," Chris started. "Stop worrying about all of it right now. What will make you feel better about this?"

"I don't know Chris. Maybe sometime just to be normal? Not to be twice blessed, not to be the oldest of the charmed children, and not to be the master of the sword. Just for a little while? Before destiny catches up?" Wyatt looked at Chris now, frowning at his younger brother for drinking his beer too quickly. Chris put down his empty bottle and smiled at Wyatt.

"Than be normal for a little while Wyatt. I don't think we can start doing much without Melinda anyway. Or at least Patience or Henry, we need three. The curse of being charmed, remember? Take these years, go to college, be just Wyatt for a few years. I will try to keep the demons and problems under control for at least the year." Chris smiled. Wyatt shook his head.

"I don't want you fighting demons alone." He growled.

"I have Pat and Henry. They have to learn sometime." Chris shrugged. "And if anything real big happens, I will call you big brother."

"I don't know…" Wyatt sighed.

A spirit materialized in front of the two young men and suddenly the boys were looking at ghost of Prudence Halliwell.

"Oh boys?" She sighed. They both snapped their attention to her immediately.

"Aunt Prue?" They said in unison.

"Your mom and dad are looking for you." She shook her head but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Time to go back down."

"Why did you come and tell us?" Chris squinted his eyes at her.

"I wanted to give Wyatt the birthday present of not having his entire party ruined because Piper starts a search party." Prue smiled at her nephews.

"My birthday present was getting us ungrounded with my charm." Chris laughed standing up and grabbing his brother's empty bottle. Wyatt laughed as he clasped his hand around Chris' ankle and orbed the two of them back to P3.

Dervin was passionately kissing Patience on the dance floor. The couple was perfectly nestled on the crowded dance floor away from anyone that might pull them apart. Or at least they thought so, but something forcefully tugged at Patience's high ponytail. When she ignored the tugging, someone seemed to put a weight around her torso and something pulled her away from Dervin.

"Were you not enjoying it?" Dervin laughed at her. Patience grinned and nodded that she was but looked around her to see how she had been detached. No one that was close to her appeared to have a hand in the pulling away and then suddenly she felt a breeze and heard a faint whisper.

"Good girls don't make out on dark dance floors in front of their parents." The voice whispered very so quietly. Patience giggled and sighed taking Dervin's hand and leading him off the dance floor.

"Yeah, can't see you or talk to you but you still get to interfere." Patience muttered to the air around her knowing that Cole was somewhere near laughing at her. Leo was walking towards Patience's and Dervin, his eyes set in that frantic parental look that Patience had seen thousands of times.

"Have you seen Wyatt or Chris?" Leo asked the young couple. Patience shook her head giving her Uncle an apologetic look. Dervin on the other hand was looking troubled for only a second before opening his mouth.

"I saw Chris duck through that door a bit ago." Dervin pointed at the door across the club. Leo nodded and stormed off in that direction. Patience glanced up at Dervin with a questioning gaze.

"I should try to make a good impression on your family. I already won over your older cousins, mostly anyway. Maybe we shouldn't tell them I ratted them out to your uncle?" Dervin gave Patience a forced innocent smile. She laughed.

"Everyone is afraid of them. You would think they were ruling tyrants with armies." She laughed pulling Dervin towards the bar to get a drink.

Leo closed the door of the small storage closet just as his two grown sons re-orbed into the room. Leo threw his arms around both boys shoulders and in an instant smelled the beer on their breath and caught sight of the bottles that Chris was desperately trying to hide.

"Boys," Leo started clicking his tongue annoyed.

"Hey there dad." Chris smiled at his father.

"We just needed some air dad, we didn't mean anything by it." Wyatt defended.

"Boys," Leo repeated taking the bottles from Chris' hand and holding them up now. Wyatt was looking anywhere but at his father and Chris clapped his hands.

"It's Wyatt's birthday!" He argued. Leo laughed in spite of himself. The father nodded putting down the bottles into the trashcan by the door, he opened the door for his sons to walk out in front of him.

Piper was walking into the middle of the room, pushing a large cart that had an elaborate cake on it. The entire room was singing happy birthday.

"Boys, you know that starting tomorrow you are both grounded right?" Leo asked the boys before they got too far from him. "We won't tell your mother why." Leo nodded at the worried looks on the boys' faces.

"So much for your birthday present to me." Wyatt punched Chris in the shoulder.

"Well, I never promised it would last long." Chris laughed as he too started to sing to his older brother.

_I wanted to say a special thanks to CharmedSuperGirl and Patricia02052 for their constant support from the beginning. And to Collen DeWitt for also providing constant feedback and helping me shape my story. While I'm taking a probably not so long a break, I recommend reading Destined, a virtual charmed series that's pretty much amazing (even if it's non-canon) find it here: ._

Also if anyone wanted to beta read this, I know there are a few mistakes in here. But you know I was posting as fast as I was writing. Which often meant I only read through sections of it before it went up, so I'm not sure how beta reading works on FF. net, but if anyone is interested let me know!


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